


The Cage of the Dog

by Sky_King



Category: Bleach, Fruits Basket
Genre: Aged up Kurosaki Ichigo, Angst with a Happy Ending, Depowered Kurosaki Ichigo, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Everyone else uses male pronouns until they figure it out, Found Family, Healing, Ichigo is going to adopt all the problem children, Ichigo is now part of the Zodiac, Ichigo is the Dog, Kurosaki Ichigo is cursed, Kurosaki Ichigo is going to fix the Sohma family, M/M, Manga!Sohma Shigure, Only Shigure and a few others know Akito Is female, Protective Kurosaki Ichigo, Slow Burn, Sohma Shigure is an asshole, Tohru is going to adopt him in turn, female akito
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-12-29
Packaged: 2020-01-23 03:10:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 26,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18541093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sky_King/pseuds/Sky_King
Summary: When Shigure finally managed to transfer his curse onto a hapless stranger, he hadn't expected said stranger to hunt him down, insert himself into his life and then never leave.But if you messed with Kurosaki Ichigo, there was precious few things you could do to stop him once on a warpath. And honestly, seeing him heal old wounds in the Sohma family might be worth the risk of opening his heart to him.And hopefully, Ichigo too, would be able to heal.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have no excuses, I don't know where this came from. Other than the 2019 anime that just came out lol.  
> Endgame is Shigure/Ichigo but since I'm going with manga!Shigure, it's going to be a slow process.  
> Hope you like!

Shigure was mad. Mad, furious. Angry.

He had always forgiven Akito for any misdemeanor of hers because he knew she had had a rough life, and that sliver of madness was already an inextricable part of herself. He had always forgiven her for it, because he had never been personally affected, not in this way.

 And maybe, somehow, this was the reason he hadn’t expected her to get jealous of Tohru and try to actually permanently maim her, after she had gone to the main compound to give Shigure his forgotten books. Somehow that had been the last drop.

Shigure had picked up his things from her bed chambers and left without a goodbye. He wasn’t abandoning his family, no. He was just leaving her, and hopefully getting his curse broken without her consent.

The best metaphorical slap in the face he could possibly manage.

(And even better, if he actually did it, and the side effects weren’t so terrible, maybe he could break out his entire family.)

 

* * *

He had already memorized the ritual, so he didn’t waste any time looking through his books, or researching anything else. He had already memorized everything, he just hadn’t actually gathered the guts to follow through with it. He dropped his things off at a hotel room, and went to the cheapest bar that could be open so early in the afternoon.

Once there, he scanned his surroundings looking for the saddest, loneliest person and planned his attack.

 

“Hello, hello!” Shigure said, sliding into the seat opposite his prey with two cups and a bottle of sake on hand. “Mind if I take a seat? No? Thanks!”

His future victim had jumped, already tense and alarmed at his presence and had just stared, dumbfounded as Shigure continued making himself at home.

The soon-to-be-ex-Dog filled both cups and handed one to his new friend. “Drinks are on me, my name is Akito, nice to meet you.”

The stranger –who had hair the same color as Kyou’s– scowled at the new drink in his hand, stared back at him and said. “What the fuck do you want? I’m not interested in buying anything or anyone. I’m busy.”

“Oh? Are you expecting anyone?” Damn, if he was, Shigure didn’t have the heart to continue with his machinations and he’d probably need to find a new target.

The stranger’s features soured, a dark shadow cast over his stone-carved features. “Not really,” he said, voice broken and hurt. “Not anymore.”

Shigure’s smile widened, the doors to his heart slamming shut. “Ah, I see. Well, I’m sorry to hear that. Maybe you and I would both benefit with a little distraction, then?”

The stranger scowled at him so fiercely Shigure somehow thought he had been busted. But then his friend downed the cup of sake and slammed the cup on the table– looking so strung up, he’d either burst crying or break the table in two. “Why the fuck not.”

Unnerved, but very much pleased, Shigure poured him again.

And thus the dog closed the door to the cage, trapping him in.

 

* * *

When Shigure next woke up, he was extremely confused because he didn't remember any plans on getting hung over. Or at least he didn’t remember drinking.

His head hurt, his cheek hurt, and-

Wai, why would his cheek hurt?

Shigure could hear clothes rustling, someone pacing and he forced his eyes open. A break-in? A one-night-stand? What exactly had he-?

“Good, you’re awake.”

The words were powerful, brisk and gelid. Somehow they manage to make Shigure get up in a hurry, adrenaline soothing his pain and sharpening his senses. He was already gearing himself to bullshit his way out of this situation, when the same stranger from the bar– same stranger he had led to his hotel room, tricked and lied and maybe even managed to pass his curse onto– grabbed his shirt and deadlifted him to his feet to press their faces close.

“What the fuck did you do to me?” He was furious, furious in ways Akito had never been –could never be. Furious enough that Shigure could feel the waves of _anger_ exuding from his every pore. “ _Who the fuck do you think you are to-?”_

 _“_ A-ah, my dear friend what are you-?” Shit he couldn’t even remember this guy’s name. De-escalate, Shigure, de-escalate! “I’m more than happy to explain, if you would only-?”

The punch came too fast for him to even _see_ it. Shigure’s legs gave out on him, and to his mounting horror he found out that his unfriendly stranger could very well support his weight with one fucking hand.

Actual horror began crawling its way up his spine, trying to get his hands on the switchblade he always carried with himself. “Let’s calm down, why don’t-?”

“I asked you a simple question. What the fuck did you do to me? What the fuck is inside me?! _Answer me, you asshole!”_

In the midst of the anger, the panic, the conflicted emotions, somehow Shigure was distracted by the fact that this man was crying.  “ _Who sent you this time? Aren’t they satisfied with everything I gave up for them? Is there no way out?”_

With those cryptic and unnerving words, Shigure was punched a third time on the jaw, and his last thought before blacking out was that it felt more like an iron club than a fist.

 

* * *

 

When Shigure woke up for the third time that day, there was nobody else there.

Just broken furniture, and an unmade bed.

(The remnants of a broken man, and a twisted future).

His words, his eyes, his grief were haunting but it could never compare to the weight of the Curse off his shoulders. A stranger’s pain was nothing compared to the promise of a future in which his family wasn’t tied down by a stupid curse.

A future in which Akito held no power, no prestige or honor.

Shigure allowed himself a smirk, alone in the room with blood on his teeth.

 She had had it a long time coming.


	2. Chapter 2

“Oh, no, Ichi-chan what happened to your arms?”

Ichigo sniffed, as those words dragged him back to cruel, cold reality. “Got into a fight.” He answered in a broken whisper, hoping his raw throat could be mistaken for coming down with a cold.

“With an _animal_? Boy, you’ve got to get those scratches looked at. Thank goodness they’re not bleeding right now.” The long-haired bartender who seemed to love to talk to him said, clicking his tongue in disapproval even as he didn’t stop drying the cup in his hands.

Ichigo looked down at his self-inflicted injuries with clinical disposition. He tried not to think about the feeling of something crawling under his skin, claiming him as his. “Yeah, they’re not. I wouldn’t want to dirty your beautiful place.”

“Very funny, kid.” He sighed. “Come on, I’m pretty sure I still have some bandages out back.”

Ichigo stiffened, ready to bolt away from his spot. “What? No, I don’t want to-“

The bartender didn’t drop his polite smile. “Shut the fuck up, consider this as a courtesy from one of my regulars, and occasional bouncer. Now go fetch the first-aid kit, or I’m kicking you out.”

Ichigo felt a wobbly smile lift a corner of his lips, and as he scurried off his chair to go to the backroom he called, in his raspy voice. “How dare you boss around a paying customer!”

After getting patched up, he had been kicked out of the bar anyway, citing something like injured people shouldn’t be drinking. Ichigo had demanded to know since when he cared so much and had promptly choked on his words when the bartender had just looked at him, with something soft in his eyes.

There were now bandages on his arms, and thinking about the bartender was the only reason he wasn’t tearing his arms open again, in an attempt to get rid of the sensation, to get that thing _off him_.

He shouldn’t have exploded like that.

He really should have stayed behind, beat up that man –Akito, was that even his real name– until he came clean with what had he done to Ichigo. But, life and everyone around him had proven time and time again that he was just a dumb idiot, incapable of planning ahead.

Case in point, his situation right now.

Ichigo shook his head. He couldn’t wallow in dark thoughts, not today, not like this. Not until he figured out how to get back to his apartment, or where to get wasted enough to forget all of his stupid decisions of today.

(Used, he had been used yet again. Maybe he should just really stop fighting it. Maybe it was all he amounted to, something to be used.)

His skin itched. Maybe he should just buy cheap liquor and get to his apartment soon. Take a shower, (take the booze with him and figure out a way to drown hims-

He really should just take a hot shower and call it a day. Maybe tomorrow wouldn’t be so bad. Maybe he was just- just imagining stuff.

 

Yeah.

 

He could play at that.

 

* * *

So he took his hot shower, rubbing his skin raw, and turning the water pink in an attempt to get rid of that feeling, that sensation of Other, sleeping just beneath his surface.

It didn’t belong there. It wasn’t his. It wasn’t Zangetsu and he wanted _it gone-_

He paced around his tiny apartment, grabbed his sleeping pills from his duffel bag and tried not overdosing.

 

It wasn’t likely he’d die.

 

He’d looked it up.

 

* * *

He fell asleep as he usually did, tossing and turning and hurting until the drugs kicked in and slammed him into unconsciousness.

And then he met them.

He found himself again in his empty Inner World, after what seemed like an eternity. It was unchanged, with the crumbling buildings, and the pouring rain. Last time he had been there, it had been crumbling, the water levels rising to engulf his entire city. But somehow the water had disappeared, although the decay was still evident.

He stared up at the lone pole in which Ossan had once stood. What was he doing here? Why was he here, if there was nobody to talk to?

And then the presence of the Other appeared at his back. He turned around, ready to fight, hands grasping the air instead of Zangetsu-

He didn’t dwell much on sad thoughts when he noticed that this Other, was a dog. A big, horse-sized dog, but a dog nonetheless.

“What- who are you?” Ichigo asked, almost afraid of receiving an answer. The dog –was it really a dog– got up and began circling around him, curious and somehow not threatening. He didn’t answer. But when Ichigo looked back into his golden eyes he saw Many.

They noticed, they noticed how Ichigo could see all of them and howled to the raining sky in glee. The sound was almost drowned by the pouring rain, but it still reverberated inside Ichigo’s chest.

They looked back at him, something hungry and possessive in their eyes. They weren’t here on a casual visit. They were here to take Ichigo and make him _theirs_.

The dog pounced and the last thing Ichigo saw was a maw full of teeth.

 

* * *

Ichigo woke up to the pain on his arms. For one second he thought a wolf had bitten him, and then wondered where had that thought come from. It wasn’t like there would be any feral wolves nearby. Heck, he hadn’t even seen a stray dog in weeks.

Ichigo looked at his abused arms and realized that whatever this Other thing was, was… less noticeable now. It wasn’t crawling under his skin anymore, it was… asleep, if one could call it that.

Ichigo stared at the wall. It was still intrusive, but honestly this was as good as it was going to get.

His head hurt, he was probably dehydrated, but he fixed himself a quick breakfast and went to work. Or tried to, anyway.

He was distracted, his neighbor was distracted as well and just because Ichigo’s entire life was basically one tragicomedy after the next, they bumped into each other and Ichigo felt the ground growing nearer at a vertiginous rate.

He cursed under his breath, because how the fuck had he fallen after bumping into his tiny neighbor, but he was immediately distracted as she screamed loudly. It sounded terrified, frightened, but when Ichigo turned to look at her, she was staring at him.

Which, honestly, wasn’t an unfamiliar reaction, but he would have hoped that no longer having a Hollow would make those looks go away-

“Hey, I’m sorry I bumped into you-” Before he could finish apologizing, the woman just up and faints, and while Ichigo still had good reflexes he still couldn’t stop her from hitting the floor. Not because he hadn’t tried catching her, but because when he tried stretching out his arms, he saw dog forearms instead.

“What the…” Ichigo whispered to himself, trying to find his hands, his arms, his _body_. With his heart in his throat he realized the dog forearms had the same injuries he had had. And also they moved at the same time he did.

If he stopped to think about this, he would be devastated, so he doesn’t. He looked back at his neighbor, made sure she wasn’t actually dead, and sort of retreated back into his apartment. He noticed there were discarded garments on the floor, which were probably his, so he did his best to shove them inside with his new furry self and somehow kicked the door shut.

“What the fuck,” he said, looking at his new paws and feeling newly justified in scratching them raw, maybe he’d find his arms inside those. His animal body made a sound similar to a keen and he felt embarrassed. “Why does this keep happening to me? I’m not even important anymore, why…” He trailed off, his self-pity taking a backseat as he remembered last night’s assault.

His arms pulsed in pain.

A frightening growl escaped his fanged lips as he recalled. Akito. This was his fault. His fault.

Whatever the fuck he had done to him…

This was this Other he had felt. How it was possible at all, he wasn’t sure he wanted to figure out, but at least he knew why it had happened.

(Why him, why when he had already given everything, when he had been discarded, tossed aside, drained of any bit of usefulness in-)

The Dog in him wants to howl and paw and get angry, but Ichigo didn’t let himself. One, he was a talking dog or wolf or whatever and he didn’t think that was a suitable situation to not draw attention to himself. Besides he couldn’t actually open any door. He didn’t have _hands_.

And just as he was thinking that, his body trembled and somehow _puffed_ – and suddenly he was on his hands and knees, butt naked in front of his entrance door.

What the fuck.

 

 

* * *

Despite what the majority of the people that interacted with him seemed to think, Kurosaki Ichigo was not a dumb man.

 

(He had trusted them, however, and that might just have been the dumbest decision-)

 

So he had checked his inbox, made sure there were no urgent request –no life or death emergencies, no yakuza-related incidents–, packed his brass knuckles and went on a hunt.

 

He asked around, in bars and other stores of the Red Light District –first by name, then by description. The few who recognized the name, were often too scared to continue paying him any mind, but it soon became clear that whoever had cursed him, was _not_ Akito.

The Akito they all feared didn’t even frequent these sort of establishments, but the rumors about curses, and traditions and a weird family, and an even weirder house were enough to frighten most. Ichigo heard all of this, and decided that it was too much of a coincidence. Too much of a rarity.

So he did what any pissed off young man with a death wish would do, and decided to pay Sohma Akito a visit.

 

* * *

He was sent away so many times, it was probably already illegal to keep trying, so Ichigo decided that breaking in wouldn’t be that much worse. He really didn’t have anything to lose, and finding whoever had cursed him had become his one goal in his life.

 (When the people he had vowed to protect, had disappeared from his life, it hadn’t only been their absence that had-)

 

Getting in hadn’t been the problem, not getting lost had proven more of a challenge. He made use of skills long forgotten to slink his way to the main rooms, to find a person that was not the man he had been hunting for.

The Sohma head was livid even before Ichigo finished crossing the threshold to their meeting room, or whatever this room was. Who he assumed to be Sohma Akito was a frail, little thing, but somehow the Other inside him whined and shrank and cried endless tears.

This only further infuriated him, so he beat up everyone who dared try and capture him, subdue him – he had fought in a war, he had faced down countless monsters what could a couple humans hope to do to him-?

So he beat them up, and as he swung left and right he called out to Akito, that there was, “some asshole going around, using your name. And I was just wondering if you’d know who they are. That’s all I’m here to do.”

Despite the increasingly hysterical shouts of “Filth”, “scum” and “dirty mongrel”, Akito somehow gathered their wits and ordered everyone to _stop_. Their eyes were wild and feral but he promised to answer to him if he stopped beating up their family.

Which was a weird one-eighty, but Ichigo had seen worse.

Trembling, and furious, Akito huddled in their little corner and they told Ichigo that his description fit one person, and one person only.

“Sohma Shigure would do this. I’ll give you his address, if you promise you’ll make him pay. Make him pay for using my name. Make him pay for having a stranger barging into my home.”

Ichigo’s eyes were like two ice shards as he accepted the scribbled address and left.

Despite everything that had happened to him, selling out their own family was a despicable act. It was maddening that this was the road life had led him down to.

(Even though he really had no foot to stand on, since his entire world had kicked him out of their lives, and-)

 

* * *

Before finding Sohma Shigure’s residence, he had transformed no less than three times, and he wasn’t sure if the winning emotion was fear or anger as he ran away with his clothes in his mouth and a shrill scream in his ears.

(As he had always done, he buried the hurt, the fear deep within his soul and let his anger burn through everything.)

With the maelstrom within him coming to a head, Ichigo slammed his fist against the residence’s door –letting the frail doors rattle and creak.

So he was unsurprisingly shocked out of his anger, by the door sliding open and a shrinking violet of a girl trembling and pale, but looking at his face, greeted his sight.

“H-hello, um. Is there anything I can help you with? Is there a problem?” She said, kind despite Ichigo’s complete lack of manners, scared but brave enough to answer the door. Her brown hair framed her rather pale face, the same shade of her big, innocent eyes. She was young, so young– probably not even graduated high school.

(Just like-)

“Oh, sorry.” Ichigo felt himself saying, his mind hazy and barely able to string coherent words together amidst the anger. Distantly, he noticed her hand was wrapped in bandages, but he didn’t know what to do with that information. He didn’t have anything to do there. He’d better leave. “Sorry, I think I got the wrong house. Sorry for scaring you.”

He was already retracing his footsteps, when he heard her calling for him. “W-wait, um, who are you looking for?”

It hurt him, for reasons unknown, hearing her being brave despite her obvious fear. Well, she did live nearby. Maybe she would know.

“Sohma Shigure.” Ichigo said, managing to keep his vicious anger out of his voice. He looked at her over his shoulder. “Do you know where he lives?”

“Ah!” She said, brightening up before immediately shrinking again. “Um, what do you need him for?”

She knew him. And she was protecting this son of a bitch.

(Even this fucking asshole had people caring for him, while he-)

“I’ve got something to discuss with him. And a dispute to settle.”

“Eh-? Is it a money problem, because I-?”

“Tohru-kun, who are you talking to? Don’t let yourself be swindled by… some…” The bane of his existence had finally returned to his life out of his own volition. The man had been looking at the girl as he draw near, and as he caught sight of the enraged Ichigo, it was clear he was regretting things. A myriad of emotions flickered through his face before settling into something cold and distant. “Tohru-kun, please get back inside. Tell the boys I’ll be out.”

He stepped down from his porch, and made the mistake of trying to swing an arm around him, in an attempt at distracting him from the girl. Honestly, that had been a very stupid thing to do, and without even knowing how it had happened again, he was held up by the front of his shirt and Ichigo was seconds away from punching him yet again.

 

It said something about Shigure, that his only thought was that he hoped Tohru had gotten inside the house safe.

 

He closed his eyes but the punch never came.

 

He heard Tohru scream, at the same time the hand that held him up disappeared and he tumbled to the ground.

 

Something huge was breathing down his face, and when Shigure opened his eyes, he came face-to-face with a maw big enough to swallow his head whole, filled with sharp, pointy teeth and Shigure could barely refrain from yelling.

“Eh-?” He could hear Tohru say somewhere behind the huge-ass creature growling at him. “Are you also a Sohma?”

 

He had a lot of explaining to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shigure is realizing what bad luck he had in choosing his victim lol. Also, Ichigo may not be a shinigami anymore but he's still very much a badass.  
> Things are moving fast, let me know what are your thoughts!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still fucking flabbergasted over the reception this fic has had. Like, both by the pairing and fandoms I was expectng like 5 kudos yet here we are...  
> Thank you so much for reading this story!! You've made me so happy!

Tohru left them alone at Shigure’s request, and the bulging monster of a canine (what the fuck was he? A wolf? He didn’t look like a dog at all!) didn’t see anything wrong with that. Actually he had only reacted negatively when Shigure had asked her not to tell the boys about what had happened, until he came back, but ultimately didn’t do anything other than bare his teeth at him.

 

(Only at him, never once at Tohru.)

 

“How… how exactly did you find this place?” Shigure asked, tone mild despite still being pinned to the ground by a creature with sharp teeth and equally dangerous claws.

The mountain of a wolf growled menacingly– probably because of his casual tone– but Shigure didn’t let that get to him. The way he had treated Tohru was hopefully indicative of a more reasonable personality than those teeth seemed to indicate and he would be betting on that.

“I asked around.” The wolf said, then cocked his head and added. “I found the actual Sohma Akito and made them tell me.”

Shigure laughed it off, saying something like, “Oh wow, I wonder how did you manage to make Akito talk to a stranger!” But Ichigo’s keen eyes caught the twist of his lips, the curl of his fists– if it was anger or betrayal, he wouldn’t know for certain.

“So?” He asked, dangerous and menacing. Anger simmered just under the surface. “What the fuck did you do to me? Why me? Why you? How does this relate to the Sohmas?”

A shiver crawled up Shigure’s spine. This man was too keen. Too perceptive– what a shitty luck he had, that the poor fool he had picked had been this smart.

What could he say? What tall tale could he spin, to make this stranger give up this investigation, to leave Shigure and the Sohmas alone, and carry on with his life?

“I-“

“No,” The wolf interrupted him, lowering his maw to Shigure’s neck, white teeth gleaming. “No don’t do that. You don’t get to lie to me, Sohma Shigure.”

Shigure smiled weakly, feeling the teeth barely grazing his neck. I wasn’t planning to, was on the tip of his tongue, but he didn’t say it. He didn’t dare risk it.

“I’m not allowed to tell you.”

A drip of drool slid down his neck, warm and slick– too much like blood. “Too damn bad, that’s not an answer.”

Shigure may be many things, but he did not take kindly to being threatened. When he spoke there was perhaps too much bite, for the position he was in. Or perhaps too much trust in the man with the empty eyes. “So what, if something happens to me. If they come for me because I told you, will you take care of my children? They might not be my blood, but they are family and I’m the only one that looks after them. What are you going to do, when they lose the only adult figure in their lives?”

The teeth retreated, if briefly as the wolf stared at his face. “You’ve involved me. It is solely your responsibility what happens to you now.” He sighed. “But I will not be the reason a family is orphaned and broken. Not again. Tell me who’s after you. If you explain to me what happened to me, I’ll protect you, this I swear.”

“As if a boy that barely became a man would be able to protect them.” Shigure sneered, and with a puff, the wolf changed back into a human. Shigure exhaled as the weight was removed off him. However, he was unable to get the breath back into his lungs as the smoke cleared and the wolf-boy’s bare chest and arms soon became visible.

Scars upon scars littered his body, long shallow gashes and deep ragged edges, they created a map of pain on the young man’s body. His arms were bloody– nail like scratches on abused skin, fresh blood running down the craters of his forearms. The young man locked tired eyes with him. “Protecting people is the only thing I'm good at, you can trust me on this.”

No matter how callous Shigure prided himself on being, there really wasn’t anything he could answer to that.

 

 

 

* * *

The silence was oddly…

Calm.

Shigure mused, hands firmly grasping his cup of tea as he stared at the man unfortunate enough to become his target. After Shigure had promised on explaining what he could, the young man had gotten dressed and followed him inside.

He’d asked Tohru to get them two cups of tea and a first aid kit, but when the girl came back with the tea and noticed the man’s bleeding arms, had wrangled the confused man into tending to his wounds. Unlike Kyou or Yuki, or any other wild animal, the man didn’t wince or protest – just staring at Tohru as if she wasn’t real. He had insisted on doing it himself, and then that only cleaning the wounds was okay, they weren’t deep enough to warrant more, but the girl didn’t have it.

By the time she had finished wrapping his arms in bandages, and had left them alone, all anger seemed to leave the man and was just left with a distant sort of sadness.

So yes, the silence was calm. But not at all amenable or comfortable.

 

And still Shigure wanted to be mad at this man, because passing the curse onto a stranger was supposed to be him washing his hands off the curse and never again hearing about the blasted Dog. Not seeing the consequences of his selfishness sitting across him, looking a word away from breaking apart.

“Well,” he began, eyes firmly on his hands. “I guess you’ve already experienced first-hand this curse of ours.”

More silence. He chanced a look up, and the wolfboy’s eyes were trained on his face. He looked down again. “I am not supposed to talk to strangers about this, but I guess these are extraordinary circumstances. The Sohma family, that is, my family has borne a curse, throughout generations. Thirteen people, every certain time become the vessels– or rather, we are possessed by a spirit of the Zodiac. And this means that whenever we are hugged by a member of the opposite gender we transform into animals. As you’ve already experience.”

“What a load of bullshit.” The stranger muttered, and it was to be expected. Hopefully, this man would think Shigure was delirious and would not get any useful information out of him. He would leave, confused but unthreatening to live out the rest of his days. But he didn’t.

Brown, sunken eyes stared straight at him as he said. “And? Why did you curse me?”

Shigure smiled blandly, even as his left hand dug nails into his leg, under the table. “An experiment gone wrong, apparently.”

He had tried using words that would be vague enough not to put the full blame on Shigure, but somehow he hadn’t been expecting them to hit the other man the way they did.

Because he hadn’t been expecting the man to cover his face, to hunch his back and curse under his breath. “An experiment,” he said in a broken voice. “Of fucking course, at this point why am I surprised.”

The scars came back to mind.

Perhaps he had chosen his target incorrectly. Perhaps he had just dumped his curse on an already cursed man.

“So?” He had asked, pulling Shigure out of his musings. “Do you know how to break this curse? Or was passing it on to me your only solution? Was there a particular reason you chose me, or should I simply ascribe it to my absolutely shitty luck?”

“…Why do you suppose I passed it onto you?”

“Because why on earth would someone choose to add a fourteenth person to this clusterfuck of misery? What else would drive you to… Unless, you’re also a mad genius with no regards to other souls.”

Shigure suddenly found it hard to find the words. What kind of idiot would think there was a ounce of compassion within him? Why, when he was smart enough to hunt him down? And why, why did he feel compelled to be honest about his motives? “Well, this curse doesn’t only harm me. I’ve been trying to find a solution for ages. We all have. But so far this has been the only option I’ve found. This curse has caused enough grief in my family, and I can no longer stand for it.”

The cursed stranger looked at him, something inexplicably sad in the lines of his face. He looked down at his lap, mused something in his mind and finally simply asked. “So it only makes me transform when I’m hugged by women?”

“And when in extreme duress, yes.”

“Does it shorten my lifespan in any way?”

The raw question managed to startle Shigure one more time. “N-no, it doesn’t.”

“Well that’s new.” The stranger said, and the blasé way they’re spoken is like another slap to Shigure. “Anything else I should know?”

“I-um.” Shit, he shouldn’t be stammering, ignore the weirdness and just focus on making sure he’ll leave. “I’m the, well I suppose I was the Dog. Your transformation looks more like a wolf, which is odd. We can communicate with our spirit animal. I’m not too sure if you can speak to dogs or wolves.”

A flash of teeth, too lacking in emotion to be called a smile. “Being an outlier basically sums up my entire life. I’d be surprised if something ever played out the way it was meant to be. At least when it comes down to me.”

With those cold words, the miserable stranger got up and strode for the exit. “Well whatever. I’m leaving.”

“You’re not… you’re not going to ask me to lift it?”

“As if you’d do it. And even if I could touch whatever vestiges of a heart you had, I’m not forcing an innocent stranger to bear this.” The words were more of him thinking out loud than any reprimand, but they still hit Shigure with the weight of his sins. Of his nature, and the absurd innocence of the cursed man in front of him.

“One last question,” the stranger said, pausing on the doorway, his back to him. “Why now? Did you just discover how to transfer the curse, or were you waiting for something?”

“I was… A mix of both.”

“Anything else I should be warned about?”

“Akito is our god. She… holds power, not only as the Sohma clan head, but also as her being possessed by the god of the Zodiac. I’m no longer impeded by that, but you shouldn’t cross her.”

The stranger looked back at him, a feral grin on his human lips. “Not a lot of things frighten me anymore. God is not one of them, and some frail kid playing at god doesn’t either.”

And with those parting words, he was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOOM.  
> lmao Kurosaki "saw god, wasn't impressed" Ichigo dropping some cool lines. He just doesn't understand what's scary of this tiny ridiculous leader of theirs.
> 
> Also do you realize than whenever it's Shigure's pov... he never calls him by name? Harsh, man.
> 
> You have cursed a war child, are you happy yet, Shigure?


	4. Chapter 4

All in all, given his luck, it could have been much worse.

Ichigo stared at the sky, standing outside the elite club that had hired him as a bouncer this time. The worst of the lot had already left, between two and three AM, and while he was tired and couldn’t wait to get home, Ichigo was thankful there hadn’t been any incidents so far.

He was pretty sure that turning into a huge talking wolf was bad for business after all. And his reputation. Nobody would hire him if they thought he was a freak, or had a misbehaved pet on the loose.

What a stupid curse, all things considered. It didn’t give Ichigo much grief, because he had no significant other, no close friends who might want to hug him– but it was a royal inconvenience for wanting to keep a low profile and little worries. But then again, his hair already gave him plenty of problems. 

Probably the worst thing of the curse, to him was turning back into a human without clothes. As if trying to explain to whoever had seen him what had happened– invariably after passing out– wasn’t awkward enough.

(Transforming into an animal, and turning back completely naked, was a lot like-)

Or maybe the worst part was that he had to change back into a human being. Or whatever the fuck he was supposed to be, anyway. He would have loved to remain a wolf forever. He could have hunted for food, could have legitimate reasons to scare people away from him. Could have-

“HEY YOU, don’t think I can’t see you!” Ichigo bellowed, lunging for the sneaky little man who laughed drunkenly and proceeded to act as if Ichigo wasn’t there.

With little to no effort, Ichigo lifted the man in a fireman’s carry, made sure nobody else was jumping their place in line, made sure the other –bored, tired– bouncers saw where he was going and Ichigo left to dump his cargo away.

Not before he puked all over his dress shirt.

 

God, he hated working as a bouncer.

 

* * *

Once his job was over, after taking a lengthy shower and a slumber fit for the dead, Ichigo got dressed again and headed to have breakfast. Or lunch. Whichever.

He scrolled through his request inbox, and decided he’d take a missing pet request for once. At least lost cats didn’t puke all over him. They didn’t pay that much, but after last night’s job, he wouldn’t be short on cash for a while.

His boss was in charge of filtering requests, to make sure Ichigo would receive suitable offers for his skillset, but Ichigo was getting tired of only being able to choose between a pet detective or a drunkard blocker. It’s not like teaching had done him any good. He’d have no patience for dumb shits, and he had terrified the two classes he had been allowed to give.

Maybe he should work on his temper.

Oh, talking about his useless Literature degree. Someone had requested them to write their college-level English essay about Ecology. Ichigo arched an eyebrow. Incredibly vague, this kid probably had no idea what his course was even about. Or interest.

Well, at least he could do this one while he finished eating before going out to find Mr. Mittens or whatever.

 

Could his life get any duller?

 

* * *

The first actual perks of his curse came when, as it turned out, the lost puppy appeared even before he ran a complete lap around the neighborhood. The puppy had yipped, lost and miserable, telling him that he was scared, that maybe Ichigo could help him, that he smelled like home and he wanted to go back.

Ichigo had of course, stared at the dog, petrified and motionless as he tried processing what was happening to him.

“ _Can’t you understand me? I thought you could. You smell like Them_.” The puppy said, tail wagging softly. The puppy. The puppy said. Why did Ichigo understand, in the first place? Was he going insane?

Suddenly, the Other within Ichigo reared its head, proud and annoyed at Ichigo for ignoring the child.

“Come ‘ere.” Ichigo muttered, dropping to his knees to gather the curious pup against his chest. Hey, at least he had found the missing pet. Counting his blessings had been the only way to keep his sanity, and if now he could understand dogs, he would try to see the positive side of it.

(Foolish, maybe. But otherwise he would-)

“Who are they?” Ichigo asked the pup. He, a twenty-one-year-old man, talking to a black mutt no bigger than his forearm. Simply fantastic. “Who do I smell like?”

“ _Like Them! I can feel it; you are a part of Them as well! You are one of us, now!”_

Ichigo ignored the pup the rest of the way. He ignored his other questions, his other requests. He just handed him back to the relieved owners, accepted the miserable reward and made his way back to his apartment.

Pathetic.

How could he be happy that a mutt had accepted him as one of them? He wasn’t sure what that was supposed to mean, anyway.

(And yet, not even he could ignore how the pup had pressed against his chest, the Other doing the same within him. Family. That’s what they were.)

 

* * *

He decided to only retrieve missing cats, from here on. And the occasional ferret. At least those didn’t speak to him.

Or at least, he couldn’t understand them, which was the same thing.

 

Then his money began to run out, he became a bouncer once more.

 

And the wheels of fate continued to turn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter because I'm running out of content lmfao. I find it hilarious that the Sohmas are all "woe is me" with the curse, and Ichigo is like "cool, I can talk to dogs now."
> 
> Ichigo meets Honda again in the next chapter btw!


	5. Chapter 5

He never quite got to his destination. He hated not making good with his word, but it was an emergency and he hoped his boss would forgive him. Who was he kidding, Ichigo knew he was too good of a lackey for his boss to be that angry at him. He’d probably get a cut out of all his following jobs, but whatever.

He was walking the darkened streets of the city when he heard a commotion. In front of him, he realized there was a mugging about to go down.

It was two girls walking alone at night, which was already bad enough, but one seemed to be injured. Ichigo knew he couldn’t intervene in every attempted mugging ever– he’d run himself down, and nobody would appreciate his sacrifice– but he wasn’t callous enough to ignore what was happening literally in front of him.

(If he ever allowed himself to be blind to grief, he would be no better than-)

Ichigo was gauging the situation, when the taller girl attacked. With speed and dexterity that spoke of a fighter spirit, she downed the first goon with a punch to the jaw.  She twisted and kicked a second man without looking back.

And then another woman jumped forward, her dress grimy, her eyes wild and tried strangling the fighter girl.

There was an increasingly familiar _poof_ and the woman was strangling air, before falling flat on her face. There was a small confused silence, as everyone stared at the bundle of clothes where the girl had once been.

The bundle moved, a tiny mouse popped out and shouted, “Honda-san, don’t worry about me, _run!”_

The remaining schoolgirl –this one was wearing a skirt, though– stumbled backwards, torn between running away and probably going to help her friend.

She wasn’t going to have to make a decision. Not if Ichigo could help it.

So he dashed. “I’ll get your friend, so just run!” He shouted at the girl even as he delivered solid punches to the first men in his way. They were sent flying backwards, but the girl didn’t even flinch, as she retreated slowly, her eyes glued onto the mouse.

Loyal. Ichigo could forgive her stupid self for that. So he ducked under clumsy blade swings, knocked two more men out before he got to the mouse girl. He scooped her up with one hand, grabbed her clothes with the other and finally the remaining girl began to run away, shouting at him to follow.

Hoping that she knew where she was going, Ichigo shattered another kneecap before following suit.

 Actually there hadn’t been any need to run away. The filthy thieves had been too scared or injured to follow so it was barely a couple blocks more when he told the running girl to stop.

She had done so with a wary look behind them, but soon enough she was smiling broadly up at him. “Thank you so much for helping us! We were really in a pickle back there!”

“I’m so sorry, Honda-san. If only I hadn’t been turned…” The mouse said, hanging her head low, tiny hands clutching at Ichigo’s finger. She jumped off, preferring to speak from the ground. “And now Shigure is going to have to do more work.”

Ichigo scowled on reflex.

Shigure?

The schoolgirl seemed to have connected the dots even before him. “Ah!” She exclaimed again, recognition but not fear on her young face.

(Why did she remind him so much of-)

“You’re Shigure-san’s friend, aren’t you?”

Ichigo couldn’t help but bare his teeth. “Not his friend. Never his friend.” He straightened after the girl mumbled hasty apologies, babbling nonstop. “Calm down already, jeez. But yeah, I think I also remember seeing you back then.”

“Honda-san? Who is this?”

“Um, he came to the house, the other day. Looking for Shigure-san, but I don’t know much more.” Honda exclaimed, somehow covering for him. Ichigo ignored it in favor of walking ahead, like their guard dog.

“You don’t need to know much more. I’ll just escort you both until you’re safe and I’m leaving.”

“Eh-? But that would be very rude of us. At least let us-“

Clearly the logical one, between the both, the mouse stopped her from continuing. “Honda-san, I don’t think this man will appreciate anything we do if his memory is going to be erased anyway.”

“I dare you to fucking try.” Ichigo sneered at her, knowing how to intimidate his opponents even with no reiatsu to back his claims.

Oblivious to the tension spiking between the both of them, Honda continued her cheering act. “Oh, but I don’t think that’s going to be necessary, he’s also a Sohma!”

“Wha-?” The mouse controlled herself just in time, and modulated her voice to be soothing and understanding. “Honda-san, there’s no way this man is part of my family-“

“I was thinking he could be a relative of Kyou’s-“

“That damn Cat doesn’t even _have_ relatives-“

“Can you squabble someplace else?” Ichigo grunted, dropping the clothes on top of the mouse to make them shut up. “I have work to get to.”

“Doing what, cleaning after the Yakuza?”

Ichigo was unfazed by the jab. If she really wanted to hurt him, she’d have to try harder. “I mean, I’ve done that, yes. But not right now.”

Oddly enough, it was the bubbly, silly girl who ‘ooh’ed and looked his way excitedly. “Oh! So you’re like a freelance!? That’s so cool, I-”

Ichigo wasn’t too sure if it was pain or laughter what pulled at his scars. He stared at her, as if she was a creature from another planet. “…Tell your friend to get her head checked. I’ll be leaving.”

“Um,” Honda’s face became a little more serious, almost looking worried. Ichigo frowned on reflex, wondering what was wrong, if there were any more assholes nearby. “Are your arms okay?”

Ichigo lifted a reflexive hand to rest against his right arm, surprised. “I- yeah. I’m fine.”

The way she beamed and smiled at him was heartbreaking.

“I didn’t get the chance to say it back then, but your wolf form was really pretty! It was so big and warm, almost like a big teddy bear! Oh, but I don’t mean to say you’re a teddy bear, you’re clearly not-“ She continued babbling once she was let loose, and for the life of him, Ichigo couldn’t remember the last time someone had actually talked to him this much.

He found it hard to shove her away.

In a quiet mumble, he said. “Tell you what, I’ll escort you girls back to your place. Least I can do.”

The tiny mouse with the squeaky voice seemed offended. “How dare you, I’m a man-!”

“Oh.” Ichigo simply said, unimpressed, uncaring and unrepentant even as the mouse puffed back into his human form. He averted his eyes but finally acknowledge the fact that this skinny person was clearly a man. “Offer still stands.”

“I say we accept it! Besides, I do want to thank you for stepping in, you didn’t have to and-“ She had said excitedly waving her hands about, but then she winced, cradling her bandaged hand to her chest.

“You’re injured.” Ichigo said, wondering if there was anything he could do to help.

(Already seeking out the blood of whoever had dared hurt her. He was a protector after all-)

“It’s nothing, nothing!” Honda laughed rather nervously, shooting a guilty side-glance to her friend. Now it was evident her cheer was forced. “Just a little accident, is all!”

A lie.

(Long-forgotten instincts reared their head.)

“You sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah!”

Ichigo opened his mouth to continue prying, but her nervous shifting, the way the boy stood protectively in front of her, stopped him.

It was none of his business.

“Well let’s go.”

 

 

* * *

When Shigure’s name came up again he pretended he didn’t want to punch his lights out again, and just listened to this tiny, vivacious girl blabber on and on about how much she appreciated his help, that she thought he was a great fighter, even if she wasn’t familiar with his style (which at this point was nothing but street brawling, so it was fortunate she wouldn’t know).

Meanwhile the Rat boy –he probably should get his name soon – never stopped shooting him vaguely threatening questions, which Ichigo royally ignored.

Other than to say, that he too transformed into an animal when hugged by females. That no, he really wasn’t a Sohma, and that no, he had no clue who this Kyou dude was.

And yes, his hair color was natural.

(It had been a while, since he was last asked this.)

 

They reach their home, and Ichigo could already smell the fucking asshole who dumped a whole new slew of problems his way– as if Ichigo was nothing but a trashcan. He was suddenly flooded with the urge of going inside and cracking his skull open. He bid Honda, and her friend goodbye, but this unassuming girl didn’t let him.

(In truth, he had always been weak to-)

Just a cup of tea, she had said. Just a plate of onigiri, just a warm meal as thanks. Not everyone would have stepped in the way he had. Not everyone would have escorted them home. She was thankful and she wanted to convey it properly.

Ichigo could only stare at her dumbly, the first homemade meal in ages staring back at him. The two teens sat across him, no fear, no hate in their eyes.

(He forgot to say no.)

“Do you like the onigiris? I’m sorry they’re just leftovers, but Kyou must have eaten the last of the rice.”

“It’s okay.” He found himself saying. “They’re very good.”

“I’m glad you liked them!” She said, smiling as if he was a food critic complimenting her meal. Smiling as if Ichigo was important enough to warrant her attention.

Her smile didn’t wane, and Ichigo wondered briefly if she was an airhead, if her mind had drifted off into unspoken thoughts. He smiled in turn, even as the silence stretched on, mildly uncomfortable.

It was the Rat boy who cleared his throat and pinned him with a serious glare. “You mentioned you can transform as well. But, you have already said you’re not related to us, so what is this…?”

Ichigo reluctantly looked away from Honda, eyes on the table as he skimmed the rim of his cup, considering his words. He remembered the earnest words, the fierce protectiveness.

If there was one thing he could respect, was the desire to protect those close to oneself.

“This is all new to me.” He began, trying to weave his half-truths into something cohesive. “I was cursed just recently. I don’t even remember how. I just… woke up one day, after a, uh…” He wasn’t mentioning one-night-stands to them, what was an alternative? “Stupid drinking game.” Was that even a thing? “And I felt off. Nothing too terrible, I thought I was just hung over.”

He paused, licked his dry lips, felt his tongue dry. It had been so long. It had been so long since he last talked this much with someone. Since he told anyone what weighed on his mind.

(His heart ached, and he tried not thinking that this all was as fake as-)

“Yes, yes, I completely understand!” Honda cut in, nodding firmly with both fists in front of her face. For one frightening second he thought she had been cursed as well and he felt rage simmering just beneath the surface. Before it blew, however she continued. “I have also been very tired after pulling one-night-ers studying!”

Ichigo was so surprised he almost laughed. The space between his eyes felt weird and it took him too long to understand that he had stopped frowning for once.

“It’s not quite that but… yeah, I guess it’s similar enough. So that’s it. I went back to my normal life, but then an incident happened. I bumped into my neighbor and I was suddenly a wolf.”

Honda looked down, suddenly pensive. “Maybe you have always been a wolf? And it awakened recently… or something?”

Ichigo looked at her, overly ware of the fact that she lived with Shigure. Knowing she was one of the children Shigure had mentioned, and he didn’t have the heart to correct her.

“Yeah, maybe.” He managed to mumble, the words almost catching on his throat. Honda threw him a worried glance, but Rat boy came to his accidental rescue.

“Is there… any chance we could see this transformation?” He had asked, apparently forgetting to be wary and now just holding some weird fascinating in the shine of his eyes.

(He had gotten used to people being curious as to what he was, he had never liked it though-)

“I guess? Only that I don’t know how to-“

Honda raised her hand in the air, as if asking to participate in a class event. “Oh, do you transform by hugging girls? Can I help!?”

“If it’s not too much trouble.” Ichigo said, almost letting a chuckle escape his lips. He tried not seizing up too much when the girl almost lunged for him.

But he didn’t need to worry, as she was so gentle he barely felt her. She wrapped her hands around his neck, pressed her chin on his shoulder and he went _poof._

Ichigo sat on his haunches, feeling the soft weight of Honda on his side, feeling more relaxed than he had felt in his human skin.

He snickered when he noticed how Rat boy had stumbled back in his surprise– looking even smaller somehow. “So? Am I as soft as you remembered, Honda?”

The girl laughed, a light and beautiful sound by his ear. “Even more!”

Between her child-like acceptance, and Rat boy’s pale expression of someone trying very hard not to pass out, Ichigo barked out a laugh.

(It had been so long since-)

 

* * *

Honda had talked, and talked, about a thousand inane things, about how his auburn fur seemed to shine orange with the right lighting–like his hair! She had declared with the glee of a child. About how he _looked_ like a wolf, but his coat pattern seemed oddly like a dog’s.

Ichigo didn’t really care, but he enjoyed her happily blabbering away. She didn’t recoil away from him in disgust. She didn’t look at him with pity in her eyes.

When had been the last time someone-?

But Rat boy had progressively looked more and more worried as the conversation carried on and it set Ichigo on edge.

So when he quietly mumbled, “I’ll leave you guys for a moment. I have to talk with Shigure.”

Ichigo didn’t hesitate to use his new –better, freer– body of his to intimidate him. When once there had been reiatsu, there were now fangs and claws and a face much more menacing than before. “I’ve told you before. I dare you to try. If you dare try to tamper with my mind, I’ll rip you apart, limb from limb.”

The boy was tense, incredibly so, and it took Ichigo just a moment to notice that they were no longer alone. Through every tiny crevice around them, tiny eyes stared at him, waiting for a sign to pounce.

Fucking rats.

“Um, please calm down, Yuki-kun, um…” Honda stopped and began looking so distraught, both men in the room focused solely on her. “I’m so sorry, I don’t remember your name!”

Ichigo blinked, feeling the tension ease away from his body. “Oh.” He said, sitting back down. “Don’t worry about it. I don’t think I introduced myself to you.”

When she continued looking expectantly at him, Ichigo realized she wanted to know his name. Odd. “Uh, I’m Ichigo- just Ichigo is fine.”

“Nice to meet you, Ichigo-san! I’m Honda Tohru, and he’s Sohma Yuki!”

Ichigo looked at Rat boy– who nodded, just to accommodate his friend– then back at the starry eyed girl and felt something within him give in. “Nice to meet you, Honda, Sohma.”

Realizing he was still being watched, and that he had threatened practically _children,_ he sighed and said, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that to you. I just don’t take kindly to… I won’t allow you to tamper with my mind. But I should take my anger out on Shigure, not on you.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry about that, Ichigo-san.” Tohru said, looking sad, and worried. She began twisting the hem of her shirt, but her eyes remained bravely on Ichigo. “I know it’s… scary, and it’s unpleasant, but I do understand why they do it. If other people found out about the Sohma secret, the Sohma’s could get really hurt! And… um, I was an outsider at first, so my case was very special, but since you can transform as well… I don’t think there’s any need to do it? I mean, of course you’ll keep the secret, right?” She said looking between the two of them, something sweet and hopeful in her expression.

“Of course I wouldn’t tell anyone. I would never do anything to harm you. But please understand that I’ve had enough of people treating me like something you can simply throw away when it’s not needed anymore.”

Too late he noticed the consternation on the girl’s face, and he realized he had babbled off more than intended.

“Sorry, it’s not as bad as it sounds.” Ichigo lied between his teeth.

“I’m-I’m so sorry you have had to go through that. I…”

“Ara, Yuki-kun what have you done this time.” Shigure appeared on the door, disrupting both her words and the calm ambient they had achieved again. His voice was too tight to be considered casual, and Ichigo could see a mouse on his heels.

Ichigo cocked his head, then stood on all four. He was almost tall enough to be face-to-face with the standing man.

“I thought you said you would protect them.”

Shigure visibly tried not to flinch, whispering. “What?”

“I am here,” Ichigo began, growing impossibly bigger. But even if he had been the size of a poodle, the vitriol on his eyes would have cowered a lesser man. “Because your protégées were almost mugged. For bragging so much, you have plenty to make up to.”

“It’s not like it’s any of your business but I help plenty. I cannot babysit them every second of the day.” There it was again, that coldness of his soul, that distance between what he was saying, and what he was feeling. Ichigo just hoped the anger was directed solely at him.

But still, he was so, so naïve.

“You have no idea how easy people die, do you?”

Shigure flinched, mind inevitably going back to the scars on his body.

 Ichigo relaxed somewhat, eyes still trained on him. “One second they’re there, walking with you. And the next, they’re gone forever from your life. You’re clearly not strong enough to protect them. Or was that also part of your bullshit?”

Shigure bared his teeth – a pittance, against Ichigo’s maw–, as if his body still remembered being a canine. “You don’t know me. You don’t know us. I don’t understand why you keep butting in on our lives, you clearly have no place here!”

(Even coming from a stranger, the words still-)

“Um,” a voice cut in the argument, both men turning around to stare at the huddled form of Honda. “I… I understand where Ichigo-san is coming from. You see, Ichigo-san, the last time I saw my mother, she left for work as usual, it was supposed to be just a normal day. But she… she never quite made it back. So I understand.”

Ichigo’s body betrayed him with a soft keen. She didn’t deserve going through the pain of losing a mother.

(As neither had-)

“But trying to stick everyone into a bubble is not a solution. It’s stifling, it’s safe yes, but it’s not healthy. And I think that it’s not even living, either. Life is… life is going to be tough, and sad at times, but there is also happiness. There is your family, and your friends and all the people that make everything so enjoyable-!”

The lone wolfdog was staring at her, quiet and sad. Heart-broken. “Even if I could somehow make these bubbles you speak of, there’s no longer anyone to protect.”

Honda blanched. “Oh no, are they-? I mean, I’m so sorry, I-“

“It’s okay.” Ichigo was quick to reassure. Knowing it wouldn’t make any sense he continued. “They’re not dead. Mostly.”

“…Then?”

The wolfdog shrugged. “I just wasn’t needed anymore.”

“Then they weren’t really your friends.” Rat boy suddenly spoke up, hands clenched, head firm. “Good friends don’t do that.”

Ichigo tried to reign in his callous side, his acrid past. These were just kids, and they deserved to be hopeful.

(Besides, he was just an aberration of nature, it was no wonder everyone had left.)

“Well, I guess you’re right. I hope you kids have some real good friends then.”

 

And in the silence that had befallen them, once more, Shigure whispered. “Would you like to start over?”

 

Ichigo had gone unnaturally still. “Excuse me?”

“Another trade secret of the Sohma family is that we can erase someone’s memories– as you probably already guessed. In case they had gone through a traumatic experience, one too bad to heal by itself. You sound like you have plenty of those. It would be my-“

“Insurance I won’t bother you ever again.” Ichigo grinned sharply, catching Shigure’s lies as they fall out of his lips. He looked up, somehow searching for the stars through the ceiling. Or maybe searching for an elusive black, a uniform, a friend-

“Starting over, huh?” He said, more tired than anyone should be at twenty-one. “Would I even be allowed to?”

“I don’t think anybody can dictate that, other than yourself.”

“Oh, really? Not even this god of yours?” Ichigo replied, the grin showing too many teeth. He rolled his eyes, losing the energy. “Stop fucking around.”

“It really was just an attempt to make things right,” Shigure tried again, with a grimace.

“to make things easier for you, you mean. I’ve had experience with your type. Unfortunately.  So shut the fuck up before I bite your ugly face off.” He stood back up, looking as resolute as he looked sad. “No, my answer is no. I refuse- I refuse to lose my identity. I may have lost everything, but still the memory…”

(In his mind, Shigure cursed, and messed up his hair, frustrated and worried.)

“Understandable.”

“Maybe I’m just a fool, maybe it would be better to just… clean slate and all that… Maybe that’s what I should be doing, instead of clinging to these figments of my past. But I’m…” He stopped himself, fur bristling to look twice as big as before. He sneered, at himself or at Shigure, it wasn’t really clear. “I’m not having this conversation with you. Look, I’m only back to make sure your kids wouldn’t get hurt. You already have my word that I won’t tell this curse to anyone– not like there would be anyone that would believe me. And you won’t have to meet me ever again, is that-?

“What?” Honda interrupted, in her soft, worried voice. “You’re… leaving? But, where are you going?”

“…Back to my life.” He clarified, trying not to feel guilty. “Don’t worry Honda, I-“

“But you said- you said they used you. Are you going back to them?

The wolfdog seemed petrified for a second, and when he regained himself his traitorous ears were flat against his skull. “I’m no longer with them, don’t worry about it.”

“Oh that’s a relief!” She said as if she actually meant it for some reason. She looked at him, with her big brown eyes. “When will we see you again?”

“What?” Ichigo’s voice was tiny, confused. Then he remembered himself. “Listen, Honda. I don’t think you’ll ever see me again.”

“What? Why not?”

“Well… I’m busy. Also there’s no reason for me to come back.”

“But you’re also part of the Zodiac.”

The wolfdog smiled. “I didn’t know they had added the wolf to it.”

“Oh, um…”

“Honda, why are you so bent of getting me to come back?”

Honda then quietened down, looking a little guilty. “I’m sorry… for being so pushy. I just thought, that if you also carry a similar curse, you could be friends with the Sohma. With me.  You know how they say a shared burden is a lighter burden.”

“Honda, I…” He pawed his way to her, “you are kind, too kind. But you shouldn’t worry about me. Nobody should.”

“Th-then… what if I told you I wanted to introduce you to Uo-chan, and Hana-chan and Kyou-kun. I was- what if I told you I wanted to see you again, what if-“ She continued babbling, finding any and all excuses she could think about to see him again.

He stopped in front of her, heavy head looming over her own.

A single tear rolled down Ichigo’s gigantic eye, falling hot on her face. “Then I don’t have anything else to say. I’ll return, as many times as you want me. I’ll stay, as long as you need me.”

 

 

Ichigo left then, a promise burning in his chest, after so many years.

A promise to come back.

 

 

* * *

“Why did you do that, Tohru-kun? He could be a dangerous individual for all you know.” Shigure said, staring off into the distance, in the direction Ichigo had gone. He feared that if he looked back at her he would grow angry, or worse, _guilty._ “Why did you ask him to return?”

“He’s also cursed. And he’s so lonely. I thought that maybe, maybe he could become friends with the Sohmas, with you. And besides, he’s not a bad person. He looks scary, but he was such a gentleman when he escorted us home. Should… should I not have done it?”

Shigure ate the first words that came to mind, as he rubbed his forehead. Before he could say anything at all, Kyou appeared from the woods, carrying a plastic bag and an odd expression.

“Oi, Shigure, you wouldn’t believe what huge ass wolf I just saw on my way here. I’m pretty sure he saw me though. Didn’t attack. Hey, Tohru I brought the ingredients, are we having Hot Pot tonight?”

“I forgot!” Tohru exclaimed, shooting to her feet and looking completely appalled, as she disappeared into the kitchen, to see what she could salvage of her dinner plans.

Yuki sighed all-suffering as he got up to follow her to the kitchen. “Did everyone magically forget she’s injured? Honda-san, let’s leave that for another day. I’ll help you make something easy.”

 

Normally Shigure would offer to order take out, but he was far too restless to go inside. So he called a lazy farewell as he disappeared into the woods.

 

He walked aimlessly, letting his face express his outrage, his disbelief about what had happened recently. He gnawed his teeth, irritated by the consequences of his decisions.

This shouldn’t have happened.

This shouldn’t have happened at all. The cursed stranger was meant to remain a stranger! What use would there be to cursing yet another person, _and then have him invited to his life?_

If word ever got out of what he had done, there would be no way any of his pure-hearted children would ever agree to being freed of their curse, would probably even shun Shigure for having done what he had.

Leaves rustle, and Shigure looked up in time to see Aka-chan making her way to him. She was a very beautiful wild dog, who had been rescued as a pup by Shigure, and who had made him godfather of her own pups, before they scattered to the winds in search of greener pastures. But she had remained, a constant, a friend.

She made her way to him and stopped. She looked up at him, and then made a sad sort of bark. She waited a second, whined then retreated a couple steps. Half-hidden by trees, she stretched her neck to the skies and howled.

She howled and howled, and Shigure couldn’t do more than fall to his knees when it dawned on him.

The depth of the consequences of his sins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel so bad about Ichigo. I didn't know writing Tohru was this hard. Do you think I'm getting her character right? What do you think about how the story is moving along?


	6. Chapter 6

Life continued as normal, in the Shigure household. Tohru would cook and clean, the boys would fight and Shigure would drown out his frustrations with his writing.

After getting the full story out of her one school morning, Kyou had promptly bopped her over the head as he demanded to know why exactly had he invited such a violent man to their house, and why she wanted to see him again.

Yuki had just looked on, pensive as well, as Tohru tried coming up with a logical explanation to her bleeding heart.

“He’s not… a bad person. He helped me and Sohma-kun. He brought us home and stayed longer when I asked him to. He’s not a bad person and he’s just so… sad.” She finally said, looking down at her hands.

“You can’t just invite every sad stranger you meet in your life, idiot.” Kyou had said, even as he glanced back at Yuki, acknowledging how both of them seemed to convene on the soul-crushing loneliness they had picked up on.

“I just wonder…” Yuki began, arms crossed over his chest. “If he’s really just a stranger, if he can transform into an animal as well.”

Kyou scowled at nothing. It made something inside him twinge in sympathy. Cursed like them, but an outsider. He could relate to that. “How was he cursed, in the first place?”

“Says someone cursed him not long ago. I bet he doesn’t have a clue what to expect, maybe…”

“Maybe we could invite him over and explain it to him!” Tohru exclaimed, her face brightening at the realization that she could see him again.

“What’s the matter, Rat-boy?” Kyou asked, far too focused on the other teen’s lack of reaction.

“I think it would be interesting to see him again.” Yuki mused, eyes distant. “There was something oddly familiar about him.”

Kyou made a face at him, exasperated he was taking her side on _inviting a dangerous stranger over_. Hadn’t he been just as worried as him, that Tohru would invite in a burglar and offer him tea and a seat? This was pretty much the same thing! Yuki glared at him, as if hearing his thoughts and Kyou just got up and shoved his hands into his pants. “Ugh, if you’re going to invite him over again, at least do it when I’m there. So I can protect you. I’m gonna get my bag, hurry up and get ready, you idiot.”

“We’re just waiting for you, you dumb cat.” Yuki said, eyes closed as he drank the last bits of tea of his cup.

Kyou bristled, too embarrassed to get angry, as he left to get his things. Tohru just smiled at them, as she took the dishes to the kitchen, and retrieved her bag.

 

* * *

 

Ichigo had a smartphone. A rather old one, considering it had been with him since his time at Karakura, but still functional.

He had it mostly to find new jobs, and get in contact with either boss or clients. So imagine his surprise when he picked up a call from an unknown number, and was greeted with none other than Honda Tohru’s voice.

“Um, is this Ichigo-san?” A feeble, nervous voice had said as soon as he picked up.

“Honda. Hey, “ Ichigo replied on automatic. “Is something the matter? Do you need me for anything?”

“Um, not exactly… I was just wondering if you’d like to come over next weekend.”

Ichigo stayed silent, trying to make sense of the words. “That’s an odd request. What do you want me to do?”

“Huh?”

“Yeah, well, people generally begin by informing me what they expect out of me. Bodyguard, bouncer, thief-finder, y’know.”

“Oh, no! I just want to chat!”

Ichigo tried not letting his hopes up, his voice choked. “What about?”

“I, uh… me and my friend would like to know more about your curse. And who cursed you.”

“Oh…” He exhaled in relief. “There’s nothing else to add, Honda. And I don’t know who cursed me.”

“Oh, right. But, um… then maybe we can help you deal with it?”

“Deal with what?”

“If it’s similar to the Zodiac Curse, then maybe we could offer tips and suggestions! Give you advice on how to act if you’re in a sensitive situation and…. And… yeah.”

“Honda, you…” He laughed, kind of exasperated. Kind of wrung-out. “I’ve been handling the curse fine, thanks for your concern… Oh, I’m here. I have to hang up now, thanks again and please take care. If you’re ever in danger don’t hesitate to call me. I’ll be there.”

“Oh- I- but-!”

But he had already hung up.

 

* * *

When his kids came home, he noticed how the two boys were crowding in Tohru’s place, worried about her. The girl herself looked downtrodden and meditative and Shigure was momentarily afraid.

Had Akito found her again?

He forced on a smile, as he greeted them and asked. “Tohru-kun, did something happen?”

The girl looked up at him, smiling softly. “Shigure-san. I’m fine! It’s fine, I’m just… Ichigo-san didn’t want to meet us, and I just… I can’t stop thinking about it.”

Relief washed through him so suddenly his knees almost buckled. “Oh is that so? Well, maybe you should leave the poor guy alone, Tohru-kun! He probably is very busy all the time. Not to mention he’s quite older than any of you. It’s not like you would become friends or anything similar.”

“Oh… maybe you’re right. Maybe he found me to be a nuisance. Oh my god, what did I do?!” The girl began to fret, once again wincing when she forgot her injured hand. Yuki was the first one to grab her arm and inspect the injury, Kyou hovering just behind him, looking worried. But Tohru just looked sad.

Why, Shigure wanted to ask her. Why do you look so sad for a man you do not know?

He had thought she could be the key to at least breaking up the cycle of violence within the Sohma residence, if not the curse itself, but honestly at this rate she was going to be the end of him.

“Is there really nothing I can do to see him again?”

“Why do you want to see him again, anyway? He’s probably in a gang, he already told you no.” Kyou asked, jealousy and concern at equal parts making his words sharp. “Like, okay, you say he’s sad, but… You are going to run yourself down if you try to help everyone. I told you that it’s okay to be selfish sometimes. This means that you have to think about yourself a bit more. You don’t have the time to be worried about some stranger if you…” He trailed off, dark memories of her last encounter with Akito making fear strain his features. He walked closer, putting a hand beside Yuki’s, on her injured arm. “I’d rather you take care of yourself more, Tohru. And worry more about you if anyone… if something ever happens…”

“The dumb Cat is right, Honda-san. You are far more important to us than some random stranger. And it breaks our heart to see you being sad.”

“Oh…” She said, growing teary-eyed. “I’m so sorry for worrying you, I- I’m very thankful you are by my side, and I understand, I really do, that we’re- that you worry when I do. I just thought…. But I’ll stop if that’s what you want. I won’t call him again, not if it’s going to make all of us sad.”

“Seems fair, then. Now stop crying that you have to tell me what we’re having for dinner, before stupid Yuki tries burning down the kitchen.” Kyou said with a cheeky grin, same that was immediately wiped off as Yuki elbowed him in the gut hard enough to make him double over.

While Kyou wheezed for air, Yuki wiped the tears off her eyes, and gently led her to the kitchen.

 

While the kids were in the kitchen, probably creating enough of a mess they’d spend the entire day cleaning, Shigure had gone answer the insistently ringing phone.

“Hello, who may it be?”

“Shigure, it’s Hatori.” Hatori said, with no preamble, with no fanfare. His voice was muted and tense. This was about Akito, then.

“Haa-san, wow it’s been a while!” He exclaimed, fake cheer hiding the cold creeping in on him. “You don’t call anymore; I’m heart-broken.”

“Shigure, what have you done now?”

“I’m sorry?”

“Akito’s been… Look, I’m sorry I haven’t called, I’ve just been really busy taking care of her, and everyone else... A week ago, some rowdy man broke into our home, somehow found Akito’s room and did enough harm that I had to send several people to the hospital with broken bones. Akito’s health also declined, with the amount of stress she went through. She’s been furious, Shigure. I’ve…” His voice dwindled, died, and Shigure was suddenly terrified.

“Haa-san, did she do something to you?”

“No… I’m fine. It’s been nothing out of the ordinary.” So he had probably been hit. Shigure sighed, defeated. “Anyway, Akito won’t tell me what this stranger wanted. I saw him as he was going out, but I missed the entire exchange.”

“You sure had it rough, Haa-san. Is Akito well?”

“She’s been furious. She’s refusing to eat, refusing treatment for her fever… And she’s been asking for you. Shigure, what did you do? Who is this man?”

“Oh, Haa-san, I really don’t know who he is. And honestly we would all be better off not knowing who he really is. I’ll go, if Akito gets mad tell her I’m on my way but otherwise steer clear from her.”

“I can’t do that, I’m her doctor.” Hatori said, ever the diligent man. Naïve, naïve man.

“Yeah, well I’m sure she won’t die if you’re away just a couple hours while I get there. Maybe she’ll actually calm down.” Please be careful, you know how she gets. “Alright, Haa-san?”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

 

So Shigure hung up and bid his kids goodbye, laughing airily that he was going to a tea party with Hatori and then he left.

That night Tohru, Kyou and Yuki all slept in the living room, waiting for Shigure to come back.

“He must have gotten drunk, that shitty dog.” Kyou grumbled under his breath, as Tohru sneezed softly and went to the kitchen to make a warm cup of tea for all of them. Yuki was quick to follow her, looking rather pale but worried nonetheless.

Kyou, who had been in the process of putting order in the room had sprinted to the kitchen as well, not wanting to let Yuki be the only one to help Tohru cook.

They got ready and left for school.

 

And when they came back, Shigure was still not there.

 

“Ugh, what if the idiot got lost on the subway,” Kyou grumbled half-heartedly, even as Yuki dialed Hatori’s private number.

“He’s not you, of course he wouldn’t.” Yuki said with a glare, eyes darting away from him as Hatori picked up.

Tohru left the kitchen, re-heated leftovers in her hands. Kyou jumped to take them out of her injured hands, almost burning himself with the plate in his haste. Between that and a fretful Tohru, it took them forever to finally reach the dining table.

When they both turned their attention back to Yuki, the boy looked scared.

“Sohma-kun? What’s wrong?”

“What did Hatori tell you?”

Yuki opened his mouth, closed it, then looked down at the table, letting his hair fall in his eyes. “Shigure was there, to see Akito. But… I didn’t get to hear anything else. I think Akito just snapped his phone.”

Silence fell.

“What- then when is Shigure-san coming home?” Tohru asked, her voice quiet and small. Kyou immediately crowded closer almost instinctually, unsure what to do or what to say. Yuki looked at them, focusing on the worried girl.

“Honda-san… He’ll be back soon, you’ll see.”

But, Tohru thought, remembering deranged eyed and child-like cruelty. But would Akito let him return?

 What if something had happened to him on his way back? What if something had happened to him _at_ the Sohma’s?

 

* * *

In the end, neither of them can find anything else to say or do, until Tohru mentioned waiting up for Shigure. The boys immediately ushered her to her room, and she let them, even if she really would have preferred staying together with them. Somehow, everything seemed scarier alone.

Before she left and after they thought she was gone, Tohru could hear their voices, concern lacing every word as they wondered what exactly had happened, that Kagura hadn’t heard anything and Kyou wasn’t sending her to search. That Haru wasn’t picking up, but it wasn’t likely he would know anyway.

“Why is your doctor so useless now of all times!?” Kyou muttered, angrier at the situation than the boy he was facing. “So the only solution is going there?”

“It would appear so. We should go tomorrow, maybe skip school. I know this will worry Honda-san, but I don’t want her going anywhere near…”

“Yeah, I know. But do you really think that going to school will deter Tohru from following …” A pause, then Kyou snorted, sounding amused. “Never mind, I stand corrected. She wouldn’t ditch for anything short of the apocalypse.”

 

Tohru left then. She climbed the stairs to her room, fear and determination making her reach for her phone. She felt guilty.

She shouldn’t be scared of going to the Sohma’s. She shouldn’t be relieved they weren’t planning on taking her.

She shouldn’t be asking for favors from a terribly sad man either. But…

 

_“If you’re ever in danger don’t hesitate to call me. I’ll be there.”_

 

Tohru clutched the phone in her hands.

Should she do it?

Certainly…

Having an adult around would be better than two estranged teens going over to see if… to fetch Shigure?

Maybe he could tell her that she didn’t have to worry, that Shigure had just gotten drunk, had forgotten the passage of time and that everything would be fine…

But what if something had happened to Shigure? Something bad, just like her mother?

 

Feeling a mixture of guilt and relief, she dialed his number.

 

He picked up at the second ring.

 

“Ichigo-san?” She breathed out, wondering why was her courage fleeing her.

“Honda? I thought I told you-“

Feeling terrible for cutting him off, she made a decision on the spot. “U-um, I wanted to ask you… how much do I need to pay for you to be our bodyguard? I’m willing to pay any amount! Or do whatever you say!”

Dead silence.

“Where are you?”

His voice was tense, and urgent. It confused her greatly, but somehow she felt relief bubbling up inside her.

“Eh-?”

“I’m coming right now, where are you? Are you in danger?”

“We’re at home… um, we’re fine, but it’s just- I- I’m really worried, Ichigo-san, he hasn’t come back in three days and I don’t know what to do. I think we should go get him but…” She didn’t continue, she couldn’t continue. What a coward she was, unable to go to the Sohma’s household just because she got a little injury?

“Don’t worry, don’t worry, Honda, everything is going to be okay. I’ll be there in a minute. I’ll help you,” Ichigo said, even as he ran and panted and dodged stupid, stupid people that wouldn’t get out of his way fast enough. He couldn’t bear to hear the sadness in her voice. “I can save him. I will save him, so just you wait. Everything will be fine.”

When she thanked him, sniffling and miserable, Ichigo’s stupid brain made him think it was Yuzu on the phone and he almost fell down because of it.

Instead he forced himself to focus, and run.

He was the first protector.

(Even when he had lost everything, he had never stopped being one.)

 

* * *

He arrived an entire hour later, panting hard and sweating so much it only exacerbated Tohru’s guilt.

Kyou and Sohma were beside her, confused and wary and annoyed at her for answering the door on her own to a complete stranger.

But he wasn’t a stranger. And he had run to be there for her as soon as possible. He had run even though he didn’t have to.

Tohru could have cried.

But no, she clenched her fists as she addressed the man.

“Thank you… thank you for coming.” She began in a quiet voice. It was a bit warbled with tears, but she forged on as his chocolate-colored eyes looked up at her.

They were a very kind shade of brown.

“Anytime….” He said, finally regaining his breath and standing tall and straight. He scanned the three people in the entryway. He scowled. “So? Who hasn’t come home?”

Tohru hunched in on herself. “Shigure-san hasn’t come home.”

She was only mildly aware of their strained relationship, and she felt that much more awful for bringing this man to selfishly help her. But she didn’t know what else to do. So she looked on as the man sighed tiredly, the frown on his face only sharpening.

He didn’t leave though.

“For three days you say? When was the last time you communicated with him?”

“He left the night before. I… It’s only been two full days, but when I tried calling my doctor, who lives there…” Sohma took the reins of the conversation, only stumbling slightly as that heavy gaze settled on him. “He told me he was still there, but when he tried telling me more… someone- someone grabbed the phone and ended the call.”

“Who did?” Ichigo asked, hating this situation even more by the second.

“I… I think it was Akito. He’s- he’s the head of our clan, he-“

“I know who Akito is. Unfortunately.” Ichigo cut him off, eyes distant. “So you think Akito did something to Shigure?”

Yuki opened his mouth and couldn’t utter a word.

Ichigo looked up at the three scared children and forced his features to soften. “It’s okay. I’m sure nothing too bad happened. And I’m here to make sure nothing else happens. I’ll find him and I’ll drag his useless self back. Don’t worry.”

“Wait, wait you don’t even know where the Sohma’s live, do you?” Kyou spoke then, bewildered by the ease that this stranger said those things, as if unafraid of anything. As if blind to the risks or the impossibilities. “Besides, it’s night, nobody would answer, and-“

“It’s okay.” Ichigo told him, something resolute and unwavering in his expression, in his posture. “I know where to find them. And I will bring Shigure back. You can trust me on that one.”

“Should we- should we go with you-?”

“No, you guys stay here. Someone has to be here to greet him home, don’t you think?” He allowed himself a little victorious smile as that finally relaxed the terrified teens. He had had enough of teens been sent to war. He had had enough of kids, not old enough to drink, being alone and terrified and willing to shunt their fears aside because they knew nothing else.

He was here now.

He would protect them.

(Just like he had been there for them, he had done his job and he shouldn’t fault them for discarding him when he wasn’t-)

 

“I will bring him back.” Ichigo promised, staring straight at them.

 

And what he promised…

 

He fulfilled, no matter what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dun dun DUN!  
> D R A M A  
> lmfao what'd you think happened to Shigure? What do you think about Ichigo's protective instinct?
> 
> Also I don't normally have this many POVs, is everything clear? Or are they confusing?
> 
> Don't forget to drop a comment!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rescue.

Breaking into the Sohma household the first time hadn’t been particularly difficult. Doing it a second time, while infused with the rage of protection was easier than slicing butter with a hot knife.

This time he didn’t even have to wander about, heading straight for Sohma Akito’s rooms.

He opened the door, stepping softly, becoming one with the shadows as he stalked his way inside. There was someone lying on the bed, their languid silhouette visibly with a sliver of the moon from the open window.

Should he throttle her? Threaten her?

He walked closer and stopped on his tracks.

The figure in bed sat up, letting the covers slide down his torso, as he tried squinting into the darkness. “Akito?” a masculine voice asked. “Is that you? God, don’t scare me like that. I know you like getting me jealous but did you really have to go see Shigure right now? Come back to bed, you horrible woman.”

Ichigo was silent as he assimilated the words. “Where is he?”

The man in the bed suddenly jerked backwards, scrambling for a source of light or a weapon. He stammered and demanded to know who he was, what was he doing here. He found his phone and turned on the lantern, but the way his eyes lighted up golden was almost worse.

“Where,” Ichigo repeated, slow and dangerous. “Is Shigure?”

“Th-the Cat Room, wh-“ The half-naked man stammered almost without thinking, even as he shrunk back from him even further.

“Where is that?”

The man squirmed and shivered as Ichigo stepped closer still, his brass knuckles catching the cellphone’s light. The man visibly struggled and tried not saying anything, but soon enough he was spilling everything he knew.

Before the last syllable even left the man’s lips, Ichigo had already disappeared into the darkness. No sound except the creak of a single wooden plank.

 

Kureno Sohma sat there, his heart about to burst from his heart, as he processed everything that had happened.

Realizing what he had done, he hurried to get dressed, as he ran after the stranger.

After all, Akito was also there with Shigure.

 

* * *

 

 

Ichigo would have probably not even noticed Akito looking through the peephole, like a child would an animal, if it wasn’t because of the Dog inside of him, weeping and crying for her.

She had looked at him, with that same revulsion and hate as many moons back.

(Just like she had, after he had given up everything for-)

“I thought you were never coming back, you filth.” Akito said, somehow managing to sneer derisorily at him despite his obvious physical advantage.

“Get the fuck away from that door.” Was all Ichigo deemed to say, doing his best to keep his anger in check. They weren’t at war, and killing his enemy was no longer necessary nor correct, after all.

“How dare you treat me like that, don’t you know who I am-!” She exclaimed, flying at him with frail limbs and sharp nails when he refused to back down.

Her touch burned him, made the Dog within, writhe and flinch.

But They were under Ichigo’s mercy now. And he would not back away. Not from this pathetic pain. Not from this pathetic enemy.

Ichigo pushed her away with a single hand, as he forced his way through the locked room.

Cage, more like it.

The room was dark, but his eyes zeroed on the man huddled by the corner. He immediately identified him as Shigure and he could feel his anger bubble to the surface in an animalistic growl.

The man at his feet flinched, eyes wide and scared as they focused on him, the gag on his mouth stopping him from saying anything at all.

His arms were pinned to his back, legs tied together like an animal and Ichigo’s vision briefly went white.

He stalked forward, his rage building inside him. He didn’t heed how Shigure scrambled to get away from him, didn’t notice how he flinched away from his hand. It didn’t matter anyway.

Ichigo grabbed the gag on his mouth and tore it off. Blood came off with it, and belatedly he noticed his fingers had been bitten.

It didn’t matter.

Ichigo then grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt, his other arm under his bent knees as he lifted him clean off the ground onto his shoulder.

“I’m taking you back.” He said, an ultimatum and a promise, as he secured the tied man, handling him as if he weighted nothing more than a child.

He had already forgotten Akito’s entire existence by the time he exited the cage, so he was a little surprised when he turned around and saw Akito seething with rage behind a bare-chested stranger, who was pointing a kitchen knife at him.

The hold was wrong.

He was trembling.

“Let-let him go, you monster-!” The man exclaimed, his knife quivering more than his voice. “What do you even want with him?!”

Ichigo stalked forward, unmindful of the knife, of the ire in their eyes. Faster than a snake striking, his arm snapped forward and stole the knife from his weak grasp.

“I’m taking him home.” He said, repeated, like a broken record, even as blood ran down his fingers, his hand, as he adjusted his grip on the knife.

“Wh-who are you?”

Ichigo grinned maniacally. “I’m Honda Tohru’s Dog.” He sentenced, relishing in the fear he was instilling into their very self. If they feared him enough, then maybe they would leave Honda and her family well alone. He no longer had his reiatsu or his hollow to back up his claims, but he found that the Dog within, could inflame his rage, could lend him teeth and viciousness even in human form. He didn’t know it but his eyes shone golden, like two blazing suns, burning even in the dead of night. “If you dare touch a single hair on her, or her friends, I will tear out your throat.”

With that he turned again and left without a single word.

Without a single sound.

 

* * *

Once they are out of the compound, Ichigo finally let the light-headed Shigure down.  The man scrambled backwards, looking at him with wide, terrified eyes.

They always looked at him like that.

(They all did, in the end-)

He raised the knife, ignoring the man’s violent flinching as he freed his bound legs with a clean slice.

He earned a kick to the face for his efforts. Ichigo was undeterred, as he forced the man to turn around so he could free his arms. “If you don’t stay still, rescue or not rescue I’m letting the knife carve your back.”

This of course managed to make Shigure stop fucking fidgeting. “What- what do you want?”

Ichigo sliced off the duct tape before answering. “To get you out of that place.”

Shigure turned slowly to face him, looking harried and wary. “Why?”

“Honda asked me to.”

“What…” He blanched, horrified as he reached the obvious conclusion. “What did she offer you?” He then grew mad, righteous fury emboldening him. “I will not let you lay a single finger on her, you-!”

“Do you really think,” Ichigo began, eyes golden as he licked the blood off his mutilated fingers. “That you could ever stop me?”

Shigure stiffened.

Ichigo let the knife slide out of his hands, falling to the ground – it was soulless anyway, what use did he have for such a thing?

“Stop fucking fighting me. Get presentable for the kids. Then get the fuck home.”

“Why did you do that? What did Tohru-kun offer you?” He continued to demand even as he slowly picked himself up, using the wall behind him as a crutch.

Ichigo frowned, not understanding what Shigure wasn’t getting. “She asked for my help.”

“What did she offer you?” Shigure screamed, his voice echoing.

Ichigo was undeterred. “Everything.” He answered.

The way Shigure paled even further, looking terrified for her and furious by equal measure soothed something within Ichigo. “You can’t- you can’t do that. She has nothing to offer you, there’s nothing for you to-”

“She asked for my help.” Ichigo said softly, as if it answered everything. “She was willing to do a deal with the devil. That’s how much she needs you. She asked me to save you.” He repeated like a broken record. “That’s what I do.”

Shigure’s eyebrows knitted together as his wobbly legs made him collapse against the wall. “You’re…. you’re fucking insane.”

Ichigo thought that through. Then shrugged. “I guess. You’d think I would have learned by now but… well.  Anyway, get back home. Your children are waiting for you.”

“What… what are you going to do?”

That was a no-brainer. “Keep watch. For a day or two, don’t worry. Then I’ll leave.”

Despite the terrifying experience he had gone through, and despite the fearsome individual in front of him, Shigure found himself growing curious. “And that’s it?”

Ichigo blinked. “I saved you. That’s all I needed to do.”

“I thought you hated me.”

“Irrelevant.”

“I don’t understand you.” Shigure laughed, the sound jarring and tense.

“It’s okay. Nobody really tries.” Ichigo said, even as he backed away, choosing to sit down by the sidewalk as he waited. “Get yourself in check already, I’m escorting you home.”

 

* * *

When Shigure finally found the energy to stand up straight and stagger away, he chanced a look back to see Ichigo bending over himself. Between a breath and the next, a huge, towering Wolf had taken his place.

Shigure was silent and motionless as the Wolf panted, with a hunched back, now that he had no way of sweating the adrenaline off. Before Shigure could think about perhaps going to see if he was fine, the wolf straightened and directed his golden eyes at him, a growl rumbling in his chest.

_Go._

Shigure scurried away, feeling the Wolf following him at a leisure pace, far enough behind that they wouldn’t walk together. It was then a thought took root in his frozen heart.

How could he be so foolish? So selfless as to rescue someone else’s people?

This man was a protector.

But what had happened to the people he had sworn to protect?

 

 

* * *

 

 

Shigure was pretty sure they were both drawing attention, but he tried acting as casual as possible– as if the huge wolf at his heels was nothing than a tame beast. He was somewhat worried the maniac stranger would change back to a naked human while in the train, or on the streets but he never quite did.

And by the time he could see his property, he was already walking steady, and despite being unable to shake off the lines of exhaustion on his face, he could fix his attire, his hair and his smile; so he would look more hungover than free from captivity.

He could almost forget his furry shadow, that had never strayed from his side until now. As Shigure sagged with relief at seeing his home, the Wolf sat down heavily, letting his large body lean against the closest tree, still panting rather furiously.

Shigure hesitated.

“Go inside,” the wolf snarled at him, golden eyes glinting. “I’ll stay here. I said I would keep watch.”

“How long will you be staying?” Shigure said, uncomfortable by the notion and the implications. Despite himself, his more callous side couldn’t help but think that it wasn’t like this exhausted man would be too useful for a home invasion. Or facing a god.

As if reading his thoughts, the Wolf blurred from his sight, as powerful legs propelled him forward and Shigure went down hard, once again staring straight at the gigantic maw of this strange, strange Wolf.

“Don’t worry your little head about me.” He said, sounding amused. “I’ll just keep watch to make sure my intervention won’t bring grief to this house. And it’s not like mere humans are enough to take me down.” He seemed to read Shigure’s thought before it formed, because he added. “Even if they like to play god.”

An increasingly familiar feeling of a chill crawling down his spine accompanied those words as Shigure smiled, and agreed. Sighing in relief when the massive beast removed itself from standing above him.

If he hurried his pace to get away from the Wolf it wasn’t mentioned– and Shigure finally relaxed when he could close the flimsy shogi door to his back.

“Who-?” Shigure lifted his gaze to see none other than his dearest Yuki, his face going from composed and irritated to relieved in a quick second. Then his expression shuttered off as he drew closer, arms crossed over his chest. “Where were you?”

Before Shigure could figure out what to say, Yuki narrowed his eyes, face paling. “Is something wrong, are you-?”

“Sohma-kun, who was it-?” Tohru appeared next, looking from Yuki to him and the way her cheeks flushed and her eyes shone made Shigure smile despite everything.

The way she ran to hug him, blabbering happily made him cement the fact. This is why he was breaking the Sohma family down.

Yuki drawing closer, relief on his expression, and Kyou staring at them from the corridor. Tohru inviting him in, telling him about the things he had missed.

This was his home. _They_ were his home.

And come hell or high water, he would protect them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo! Ichigo saved Shigure! Now Shigure, karma dictates you gotta save him in turn. From himself, most likely.
> 
> What are your thoughts?


	8. Chapter 8

Shigure had used his amazing skills as a professional writer to create a plausible lie. In which he had gotten Hatori and Ayame drunk, in which he had forgotten the date, had thought he was on a vacation. Shigure endured Yuki’s and Kyou’s reprimands, their complaints and veiled fears, and tried not being surprised with Tohru’s quiet, smiling acceptance.

It was not until well into the night, as they were all getting ready for bed, that he mentioned that he had met the Wolf man on his way back. He somehow hadn’t expected Tohru to jump in his face and ask him if he was still there, why wasn’t he coming in, if he was going to stay outside.

And before Shigure could figure out something to tell her, the airheaded girl had immediately put on her shoes and left their home.

Before Shigure could try to stop her, Yuki and Kyou rushed to her side, disappearing through the door and leaving Shigure feeling rather terrified for them.

 

He didn’t go with them. Given his past bad blood with the man, he wasn’t sure he would make him less inclined to attack. So he decided to trust the vulnerability in his eyes when facing Tohru. He decided to trust the man who had bowed down to her, who had protected her and Yuki.

Who had risked injury to save _him_ , when Tohru had asked.

Or so he thought, but as he remembered his words, about Tohru’s promise, about offering everything to him, had Shigure running out after them, fear beating inside him like a second heart.

 

* * *

He met them halfway. He was panting and sweating as he came face-to-face with the retreating teens, no Wolf or naked man on sight. He noticed her downtrodden expression, and the way the other two shot her worried glances, before looking at him as if he was crazy.

They didn’t look scared, or did they look over their shoulders and for that Shigure was glad.

“Did you see him?” Shigure asked, finding no other way to breach the subject.

Tohru smiled. “Yes, but he didn’t really want to talk to us…”

Kyou lifted a hand to her head for a soft pat, “he looked really tired though. Maybe he just wanted to sleep, it wasn’t your fault.”

Tohru actually lost her smile then. “Then shouldn’t we invite him in? It was my fault. I asked him to find Shigure-san when he… I asked him and now he’s so tired. He probably ran all the way here, and then looking for Shigure-san and I just… I wish there was something I could do for him.”

“If he was really running around trying to find this deadbeat idiot, then he’s probably too tired to think properly. If you want we can offer him a place to rest, but right now we should get home.” Yuki then said, making sure to glare at Shigure as a token protest. He gently grabbed her hand and began leading her back.

Shigure laughed obligingly, despite how it burned his lungs. “Oh yes, he really did run around a lot. And besides he’s currently a Wolf, so he’s probably more comfortable out there. Let’s get you kids home and let’s have some dinner, how about it?”

Shigure smiled as he made sure all of them were walking home, not faltering when his ever-keen Yuki looked at him with cold, shrewd eyes.

He had noticed something.

And he was going to ask him once they were alone. Shigure had to figure out what he was going to say before then.

 

 

* * *

Shigure smiled, trying not to look sad at the spread of food Tohru had prepared while waiting for him to come back home. He tried eating as normal, even as his stomach protested the sudden influx of food after so long. He did his best to make sure his sleeves wouldn’t slip up and show the abrasion on his wrists.

But he did have to have a talk with Tohru.

“So did you know what the Wolf man told me when he found me?” He began, noticing how Tohru’s eyes looked at him with the same openness as always. The same naïve openness she showed to the entire world. “He told me you called him.”

She shrunk a little on herself. So she _knew_ what she had done wasn’t good.

“Tohru-kun,” Shigure said, placing his chopsticks down, trying to order his thoughts. “He told me you offered everything in return for a favor.”

The table went silent.

Then,

“ _WHAT!?”_ Kyou and Yuki both exclaimed, rising to their feet, food spraying everywhere as the girl finished shrinking in on herself, looking sheepish rather than sorry.

Both flustered teens reproached her, their voices overlapping over each other, not letting her say anything at all.

Understanding their feelings, but knowing he was the adult in this situation, Shigure raised his hands in a placating way. Hey, at least they had done a good job at making her see everything wrong with what she had done, without him having to say a thing.

“Maa, Tohru-kun, you really worried us.” He said, unable to stay mad at her. “That is not something you can offer to just anyone, and less so to someone as dangerous as that man.”

“That’s right, you idiot.” Kyou grumbled, still beyond aggravated and not managing more.

And then Tohru had the balls to look him in the eyes, pitiful and all. “But I was worried something might have happened to you, Shigure-san.” She then looked down, and Shigure didn’t even have to look at her injured hand. “And- and I know you said you were drinking with your friends and that I over exaggerated but I really got worried. And I didn’t know what else to do, and Ichigo-san told me he did odd jobs all the time, and despite me not being able to offer him much, he came here and he went for you. And… and…”

Shigure laid a soft hand over her hair, mussing it up. “I’m sorry for worrying you.” He repeated, just as sincere, just as softly as before.

Suddenly, a thought hit him like a punch to the chest.

Right now…

Right now he could finally hug her.

He could hug her and sooth her in ways he once couldn’t. He could let her feel protected in his embrace. He could hide her away from the world for a moment.

His arms twitched at his side.

But not yet. He couldn’t do it while there were so many loose ends, not when the consequences of his actions were just outside, exhausted out of their mind. When seeing him would make his pure-hearted kids hesitate on having their own curses broken.

“Tohru-kun, I will talk with him. But promise me you won’t ever do that again.” Shigure said instead, voice strangely taut, as if choking back tears. “I’ll make sure he doesn’t bother you at all, but please don’t ever do something like that again. I am not worth that much. Nobody really is.”

She nodded, meek and appropriately scolded. And Shigure couldn’t help but sigh in defeat.

“Okay, now clear the table and go to bed, my children. I have to fix this mess.” He lamented out loud, making sure to sound as dramatic and over the top as possible. He ignored their complaints that it wasn’t even that late, and got up on unsteady feet.

“Shigure,” Yuki said, hesitated, then losing all ice in his expression in a quick blink. He was also worried, just like all of them, and unfortunately, not even Shigure was sure how much he actually knew. “I, uh… we’ll talk. When you get back.”

The older man smiled, “how about tomorrow after school? I promise to listen then.” He didn’t promise he would tell him the truth however, and that’s something he would take to his grave.

Yuki hesitated a little more, and then just took his dishes back to the sink– a silent agreement.

(Somehow, this blind trust made Shigure’s heart weight like a ton of brick in his chest. That or the probable chest trauma.)

 

 

* * *

He found the “fierce protector” lying on his side, like a kicked pup on the side of the road. He was breathing hard but despite having dry blood clinging to his fur, he seemed relatively unharmed.

(While on dog form, at least.)

Upon approaching him, however, the roadkill animal sprung to his feet, a snarl tearing itself free from his throat, and Shigure was briefly sure he was going to die as the bulging monster made a move to attack.

He didn’t attack.

“What do you want now?”

“I’m just here to make a deal with you!” Shigure said as cheerfully as he could. Ichigo actually stopped and cocked his head. “Or more like, to clear some things up.”

“You don’t owe me anything.” He said, looking just as exhausted as before. “It’s not with you I made a deal with.”

“Yes, that is the problem, you see.” Shigure smiled dangerously, as if unbothered by his teeth, his size or his anger, always brimming just under the surface. “I’m afraid Tohru-kun can’t make good on her side of the deal. So can I interest you with an alterna-?”

“What do you mean?” Ichigo asked, looking confused but not angry much to his relief. “She asked me to save you and I did. That’s about it. I’m not going to ask a child to pay for my services. Not when there are lives in danger.”

“Wait, but she said she had offered-“

“Everything?” The Wolf’s lips stretch in a mocking of a smile. “For me that just means she does care about your heartless self. And that’s everything I needed to know.”

Shigure still wouldn’t let relief crawl up his exhausted legs. “So… you aren’t going to be asking for anything from her? Like- like her body, or-?”

The Wolf stood back up, his fur bristling. “What, _no!_ She’s a _child!_ Of course I wouldn’t!”

Shigure couldn’t help but sag against the closest tree– not close enough as suspected so he almost toppled over. “Oh, well that’s good to know.”

“Was she worried about this?”

“No, she… she seems to trust your judgement.”

Another sad smile, somehow conveyed through the crinkle of his eyes. “Ah,” he said. “She’s so… trusting.”

“Yes.”

“Take care of her. People like her are…” All mirth disappeared from his eyes, regaining that hollow quality. “Someone is going to take advantage of her, sooner or later. If she somehow got someone like you on her side, it’s your job to protect her.”

Shigure would have loved to say something snappy, something angry, but he couldn’t forget that this stranger had saved him just to please a little girl.

“I know.” He simply said, as he pushed away from the tree. “I’m sure we’ll be fine. You can… leave.”

Somehow the words burned in his throat, a feeling of unease taking over him. He couldn’t be feeling guilty this far in.

He wasn’t allowed to.

The Wolf hesitated, making something cold curl in Shigure’s stomach, despite everything. “I promise I won’t bother, I just want to make sure my words aren’t going to bring grief to this family.”

“Words?” Realization chills down his spine. “You said you were Tohru’s dog.”

“Yeah.”

“…Did you mean it?”

The Wolf shrugged as best as he could in his canid body. “I mean, she’s better than…”

He fell silent, and this time Shigure could actually feel bad at the weight of sorrow in his eyes.

The Wolf stepped away from him, curling into a ball on the ground. “Leave.” He said, more tired than threatening. “I won’t bother.”

The words were out before Shigure could think them through. “…Would you like to come inside?”

The Wolf snorted, his sharp teeth gleaming. “Good to know you can feel guilt.” He closed his eyes, “No, I’d rather stay here.”

“I’ll bring you a blanket then, for when you turn back into a human.”

“Doubtful, but sure whatever.”

Shigure opened his mouth, closed it, and then just said. “You’re such a dumb man.”

“I’ve been called worse.” Was his immediate reply, he didn’t open his eyes. And finally Shigure left.

(Ichigo opened his eyes a slit. Yes, this was more like it. They always left in the end.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yoo did you watch episode 14?? Things are getting real!  
> Ok, but Ichigo is just really tired, Shigure is maybe rethinking his entire life, and Tohru's everything is too much for the both of them.


	9. Chapter 9

 Ichigo had to steal a pair of clean boxers from the laundry room, and pickpocket his own lock but he finally made it home the dawn of the third day.

His wound was still unattended, but he figured just a shower would be enough. Maybe it had to do with the way he was barely a functioning soul, but bacteria barely considered him a living being. Or that’s what he had figured, as infection always took a long way to take nowadays.

He had been clumsy, he thought as he assessed the slice on his hand. It hadn’t really hurt, but he probably should try a little harder to grab a knife by the handle instead of the blade.

 If anything having an injured hand diminished his productivity.

He checked his phone tiredly, saw no urgent messages and then collapsed on his bed.

Fear of the inevitable gripped him and he forced himself to grab himself a cup of water and down a couple of sleeping pills.

 

He stared at nothing, thinking about nothing. Until he fell asleep, dreaming about nothing.

 

 

 

* * *

When he woke up, somehow managing to feel as exhausted as before, he knew there was something off. Was it him or was there someone at his door?

He stepped lightly as he made for the door, briefly considering grabbing a knife. But when he looked through the peephole he saw…

A dog?

He opened his door and was immediately tackled by an overenthusiastic stray.

“ _Oh thank goodness you opened! I thought you were dead! Are you okay?!”_ A voice coming from somewhere close by said. IIchigo was tackled to the ground, the filthy mutt licking his hands and arms and face.

“What the _fuck_ ,” Ichigo muttered, as more dogs trickled inside his apartment, somehow all yapping words he could actually understand.

It was like that puppy from the other day.

They kept trying to crowd in his space, on top of him and Ichigo was hard pressed not to scream at all of them. He did push everyone away, claiming his own space again. “What the _fuck_.” He repeated, the words like a croak. “Get the fuck out.”

Two or three dogs lowered their tails, but absolutely nobody left.

Ichigo bared his teeth. Figures, not like anyone had ever obeyed him.

“ _Friend, are you upset? Do you want to pile?”_ That same stray that had jumped him asked, still unfortunately close to him.

“I do not!” Ichigo screamed, reaching his peak insanity at talking back to a dog. “Get the fuck out of my apartment!”

The stray with his ribs jutting out, just wagged his tail. “ _We don’t like to see you sad.”_

 _“Yeah boss, feeling sad is-!”_ Another stray said, growling at nothing to express how bad feeling sad was.

Ichigo hitched a breath. “I swear to fucking….”

He turned around and rummaged through his kitchen, finding anything edible.  He opened the two take out containers he had in his fridge and filled a bowl of water and set everything out for his inopportune and unwanted visitors.

“Eat this and then leave.” He said, feeling silly but somehow knowing they understood him.

“ _Aw, boss this is so good! Where did you- hey! Hey! My food! Mine!”_

Ichigo felt justified in snarling back at them when these lousy freeloaders tried getting in a fight in his own kitchen. The dogs flinched, and fortunately behaved themselves.

It was just then that his neighbor had to pop by of course.

“I knew it!” She said, shamelessly standing in front of his open door. “I knew you were hiding dogs inside your place! Don’t you know that pets are not allowed here?”

“I know,” Ichigo deadpanned, too tired to deal with her. “They are not mine.”

“How disrespectful of you!” She continued as if she couldn’t hear him. “When you know fully well that my son is allergic to _dogs!”_

“You live alone.” Ichigo said in a flat voice, squinting in her direction.

This didn’t seem to deter her, at all. “Well, he can visit!”

“I’ve been here four years and that has yet to happen.” Ichigo couldn’t hold back the words. Be it his exhaustion, the recent adventures, or the fucking dogs crowding in his space and offering the first touch of comfort he’s felt ever since-

“You will pay for your insolence, young man!” She shrieked, shrill and annoying and a _nuisance._

Ichigo hates himself as he smiled dazzlingly at her. “Aw, I’m sorry, I was only joking. However could I make it up to you?”

She visibly reddened. Stammered, before a light of sneaky interest entered her eyes. “I-uh, well, what… what are you suggesting?”

Ichigo stalked forward. “I don’t know; would you like to check my menu?” He grinned, as he pinned the older woman against the wall of the corridor.

She was flustered, easily manipulated.

Then she smiled deviously, eyes trawling down his exposed collarbone. “I would rather discover things on my own, if that’s alright?”

Ichigo grinned, as he closed the door to his apartment behind his back, as he led them back into hers.

“Of course, that’s also an option.”

 

He hates himself.

 

 

 

 

* * *

The next morning he opened his door to a gaggle of puppies, his neighbor was not so lenient.

 

The third time she didn’t invite him inside.

 

The fourth was the last.

 

Ichigo had all of his belongings in a bag on his left hand, a puppy under his right arm as he descended the stairs from his former apartment’s complex.

Well.

He had always had shitty luck, that was for certain.

(But when the puppy wiggled and licked at his hands and exclaimed excitedly about everything, Ichigo couldn’t really get angry at them.)

 

* * *

He had felt awful at leaving starved dogs behind, but he didn’t really have enough money, and now not even a home, to shelter even one of them. He had left the puppy and one of the strays in the closest shelter he could find, before finding a family food joint to gather his wits.

 

Ichigo grimaced at his phone. He needed to find a temporal place to get his shit together. He hated this, but he was going to have to call in a favour.

He had done plenty jobs for that bartender. Surely he wouldn’t mind housing him for a night?

…

But the bartender had a family. He probably wouldn’t have the space to house him, if he didn’t give him any forewarning.

He ended up talking to his manager, and thus began his couch-surfing life, working odd jobs to pay a night’s sleep, as he tried securing a new apartment.

His former landlord had made his life that much harder by using his “breaking of a contract” to not return the lease, so Ichigo suddenly found himself in the need of _saving money_.

So he began eating the minimum, and working every waking second.

In no time he had earned enough money to actually consider renting a sleazy apartment. In no time, he had worked himself so hard, he lived with a permanent headache, his unhealed hand pulsing with every beat of his heart.

No matter.

 

* * *

Almost by accident, Ichigo found himself standing at the edge of the Sohma owned forest. Out of a sudden he’s hit by a deep ache. He longed to be a Wolf, to let his pain fade, his thoughts becoming less torrid.

He longed for the world to disappear under his feet.

And as if complying with his ardent wish, he could feel his body lightening, until he poofed into the huge Wolf he was growing accustomed to be.

…The forest was big enough, right?

There was no way that bastard would be able to notice him if Ichigo was smart enough.

And it’s not like he had anywhere to return to.

(Not anymore.)

 

  

* * *

Kurosaki Ichigo had been a recurrent topic of conversation in the Sohma household, much to Kyou’s disgruntlement. Despite what they had told her, and her own admittance that he might just be dangerous, Tohru still sometimes looked outside as if looking for someone.

Which to be honest, was a frightening notion. Despite what Tohru thought about him, the man _had_ beat up an entire gang by his lonesome, not to mention his honestly terrifying Wolf form.

And somehow he was alone in this, because that damn Yuki was always happy to talk about the man with Tohru whenever she wanted, sometimes also stared out of the window with a thoughtful look and somehow seemed to not look terrified for Tohru.

And okay, maybe Kyou was overreacting a little, from what Yuki had told him while Tohru was away, something had indeed happened to Shigure while he was gone. He hadn’t been able to get everything out of that sneaky man, but he had looked harried, exhausted and dirty. Whatever had happened in the Sohma household hadn’t been pleasant.

Yuki suspected he had been kept captive.

Which, honestly? Wouldn’t be a fucking surprise.

And, of fucking course, Kurosaki Ichigo had been mentioned again. Neither of them had seen him after Tohru so recklessly asked for his help, but they were pretty sure he had had a hand in Shigure returning to them. How exactly was up for guessing.

Someone risking themselves to save a stranger, just because a teary-eyed girl had asked him, expecting no compensation, was just…

Such a ridiculous notion.

And yet…

Shigure had been as obnoxiously vague about what had happened with him and Ichigo as well, and by the way he had been so insistent they keep their distance from him, Kyou couldn’t help but worry. Shigure wouldn’t have said that if he thought he wasn’t dangerous.

And again, just looking at the size of that Wolf was enough to think this was true. Were animals that big in the first place? Kisa was a tiger and she was _tiny_. Not even Hatsuharu was that big and he was a _cow._

And despite everything Yuki had figured out about Shigure’s disappearance, Kyou didn’t miss how he kept eyeing the mischievous idiot. Who, after sleeping the exhaustion off had receded to act just as normal.

He might be hiding in his room to write more often, but Kyou didn’t know anything about the writing industry and he might just be hitting a deadline.

And while he didn’t know what was Yuki looking for, he somehow felt… odd about Shigure. At times.

Like his skin would prickle, and he would grow angry for a second.

But there was no reason for him to be angry at Shigure. Not more than usual, at least.

At least this new mystery might be enough to distract his two dumb friends from that Kurosaki fellow.

 

* * *

Kyou was returning from the convenience store, having done a quick run to procure more salt for Tohru, when life decided that he didn’t have enough Kurosaki Ichigo in his life, apparently.

The sun had already set long ago, and he was whistling as he walked back towards his house when he saw something move in the darkness.

Having grown used to living near bears and other dangerous creatures, he was immediately on his guard, as his eyes sought out whatever had moved.

Much to his surprise he came face to face with a huge-ass Wolf.

Somehow, he forgot all about his previous thoughts, about how he probably knew this Wolf, and wasn’t actually a real Wolf.

 

Somehow he forgot everything and screamed hard enough the sound echoed miles and miles away.

 

The Wolf flattened his ears, a grimace on his expression. “Geez, kid.” He said. “Calm down, sorry for startling you. I just didn’t recognize you, I’ll leave you alone now.”

With his heart still beating inside his throat, Kyou stared as the Wolf began disappearing back into the darkness, when the words caught up to him. “Wait, wait, wait-!”

The massive creature stopped, and turned a curious gaze at him, and Kyou vaguely wondered if it would have been better to let him go away.

Better for his prolonged health at least.

But…

“Wait, you said you didn’t recognize me?... But, where do you come from?” Kyou then looked into the darkness beyond, as if hoping to see someone else, or a destination. “Why are you here?”

“Uh,” the Wolf replied, not at all suspicious or anything. “I live nearby?”

(If Yuki or Shigure had been here, they would have found the resemblance to be odd, uncanny and maybe funny. Because those had been exactly Tohru’s words once upon a time.)

However, Kyou knew for a fact that they didn’t exactly have neighbors.

“Where exactly did you say you lived again?”

Somehow, the frightening Wolf shrunk in on himself. “Uh…”

Kyou suddenly dropped the bag he held loosely in one hand as he got in a fighting position. “Are you stalking Tohru? Don’t think you’ll get your way with her!”

The Wolf had the gall to smile, proud and relieved. “It’s nice to see she has so much people caring about her.”

Kyou’s fist lowered somewhat, surprised. “What do you mean?”

The Wolf turned around so he wouldn’t have to crane his neck back. “She has such a kind heart, kid. She’s kind and trusting and the world will do whatever it can to break her. But if she has people like you and that asshole protecting her… then I feel relieved.”

“Why… why do you care about her?” He found himself asking, somehow less wary. Somehow finding truth in the stranger’s voice. And there was a sense of familiarity crawling up his spine that just kept getting stronger and stronger. “What’s she to you?”

The Wolf cocked his head to a side, thinking it true. “I don’t know. I just… she reminds me of me. When I was younger. And I would hate for her to suffer for being such a pure soul. That’s all.”

Despite himself, his arms are fully lowered as he stared at the Wolf with a man’s eyes. “Well, you and me both, I guess.”

The Wolf smiled again. “Then cherish her. Cherish her as much as you can, because even bonds stronger than steel can shatter in a second. People leave, or they die and you’ll regret not doing a little more for those you loved. A little more for yourself as well. You’re a good kid, I can see that. It’s not just her you have to worry about. You’re also entitled to your own happiness.”

Kyou just nodded along, feeling like a hero of legend, receiving wisdom from the crazy old man in a forest. He also felt the heavy sincerity in his voice, and wondered if he spoke from experience.

The Wolf stared at him with amusement. “Now go on kid, people are waiting for you.”

Kyou nodded dumbly and actually began to walk away, before he stopped and babbled after the disappearing wolf, “s-sorry I called you a stalker! That was, uh, uncalled for.”

And somehow too embarrassed, he hurried off at a near dash, his legs getting him home in record time.

It was only when he had almost crashed into a wary looking Yuki, squinting at the darkness beyond the pool of light coming out of the house that Kyou remembered he had never answered the question of what he was doing here, or where he lived.

The hair at the back of his neck prickled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, I do feel sorry about Ichigo losing his home, but hey Puppies! (deflecting? who?)
> 
> Ichigo just wants to be a grumpy wolf and be let alone but that's not gonna happen apparently.
> 
> About the similar "I live nearby" response, it pained me that Yuki or Shigure weren't there to listen to it and compare it to Tohru, but Kyou was the one to find him.
> 
> So that's this chapter, what do you think? Did you like it?


	10. Chapter 10

It had taken so long for Yuki to confront him, that by the time he knocked on his home office and asked for a minute, Shigure briefly forgets.

“What can I do for you?” Shigure said, putting down his revision draft, and red marker. He yawned and rubbed his eyes and before he let him speak he added. “What hour is it? Shouldn’t you be in bed like a good boy?”

Yuki closed the door behind him, looking lost in thought. “It’s a little past ten and you’re not my mother.” He looked small, standing close to the door. His mouth pursed, the words or the courage not coming to him.

Shigure smiled despite himself, standing up to clear one of his visitor’s seats. “It seems to really be bothering you, does it have anything to do with Tohru-kun?”

Yuki successfully snapped out of it to glare at him, embarrassed and miffed for being so obvious. He did take a seat, as Shigure returned to his own place, and frowned again. “I want to know what happened to you, the other night.”

Shigure made the mistake of freezing for a second. “Why? I’m not sure I can tell you of everything that happened between consenting adults and a lot of booze, it just wouldn’t-“

“You were with Akito, weren’t you?” Yuki said, up-front and blunt –so unlike him in the past. Despite the situation, Shigure couldn’t help but be amused by Kyou’s influence on him.

“Ah, I may have sneaked in a little visit, yes. But that’s a grown-up’s tale for the grown-ups to talk about.” Shigure said, weaving his half-truths as good as ever.

But Yuki had experience with Akito.

He had memories, he had fears.

“You always answer when I call you, no matter what.” He confessed, feeling small and childish and so scared. “I also called Hatori, when you just wouldn’t come home and Akito- Akito took his phone away, I could hear him screaming before the call ended.”

Shigure closed his eyes briefly.

How had he ever fallen for the twisted woman? Shigure stupidly thought. The monster that had managed to instill such terror in his kids’ eyes.

(It hadn’t been long since he had finally began calling them his. And that was both a reason and an excuse.)

Shigure let his shoulders sag. “I’m sorry you had to hear that. It’s true, you’re right. I did spend the night with Haa-san and Aya, but Akito took away my phone when I wasn’t looking. He didn’t let me go home, but I’m not injured, he didn’t do anything to me. You know he wouldn’t.”

“Why?” Yuki still wanted to know, but there was a certain tilt in his voice that made Shigure relax. Yuki believed him, the naïve fool. “Why did Akito get mad at you?”

Shigure sighed all-sufferingly. “He might have gotten mad I didn’t say hi to him. And that his doctor was having fun with another man, especially someone as dashingly handsome as me.” Yuki didn’t scoff, or roll his eyes and Shigure let his façade fall. “I’m sorry I worried you guys. It wasn’t my intention; Tohru-kun’s still recovering from her injury and neither of you have good memories of Akito. I just didn’t want to bring him up.”

Yuki looked sullenly to the floor, rubbing his arm. “So then you didn’t get… locked?”

Anger crawled up his stomach. Anger for his kid, anger for ever allowing Akito to cage an innocent kid for a sick pleasure.

He felt no guilt in saying, “of course not.”

“He didn’t use his powers on you or anything?”

“Powers?” Shigure said with an arched eyebrow. “What sort of childish nonsense is that?”

Yuki blushed, and looked away with a frown– defensive in all of his childish embarassment. “Well, I don’t _know_ , you feel weird and neither of us know why!”

“Weird? Weird how?”

“Like something’s missing. Like you did something. I don’t know.” Yuki said, worry and concern mingling with his haphazard words. He was still looking at anywhere but Shigure so he missed the way his face paled.

“I don’t know. Maybe Akito did something, or maybe I disappointed him. But other than that…” Shigure let the silence grow, as he let Yuki draw his own conclusions from there. Close, he was too close. Could the Zodiac Spirits sense what he had done? Did they hate him for it? Did they want him gone?

“And what about Ichigo-san, then? How did he get injured?”

Memories of the other night caught up to Shigure, the feeling of skin and flesh giving way under his terrified teeth, the knife, the bleeding hand. The ragged Wolf collapsed against the tree.

“For being an idiot, probably.” He said. He tried going for flippant but he couldn’t get the edge of anger out of his voice. Yuki stared at him. “Why do you care about him anyway?”

“Because he wasn’t injured when he went for you. Because he helped Honda-san. Because he went to help you. And because if you don’t tell me, I’ll go ask Ichigo-san himself. He’s outside right now.”

Shigure stood up abruptly, upsetting several papers laid across his desk. “He’s here?! What’s he doing-?”

“My mice found him. He’s been here for the better part of today, I think. Although Kyou says he saw him yesterday. I thought you had talked again.”

Shigure grimaced. “Well, I wasn’t aware he was here, but I am going to talk to him right now, for sure.”

And without waiting for a response, he headed out without a look back.

 

 

Yuki felt cold gripping his entrails.

 

Shigure hadn’t known.

 

Shigure always knew what came and went in his forest. His dogs made sure of that.

 

Shigure hadn’t known about the man that could transform into a wolf.

 

Yuki hugged himself– alone in the empty office. Alone, and feeling the cold dread crawling up his soul.

“What have you done, Shigure?”

 

 

* * *

When Shigure finally found him, in the middle of the darkness, blind and alone, the Wolf did nothing but raise a weary snout his way.

“Sorry about this. Wasn’t exactly planning on coming back here.”

“What happened?” Shigure felt himself ask, instead of the more accusing _what are you doing here_ he had on the tip of his tongue. Despite it being dark, there was something about the way he was barely lifting his head, not showing much aggression that made guilt churn in his stomach. Besides the obvious debt he had to this man, no matter what either of them thought.

“Nothing much, just wanted to stretch my legs, you feel me?” The Wolf made a show of stretching his long front paws, and slowly heaved himself to his feet. “How’d you find me, anyway?”

“Yuki-kun told you. And I followed the mice.”

“Followed the…” The wolf shook his head, amused. “I would make a reference, but I doubt you’d recognize it.” His head was barely being held by his neck, almost kissing the ground. “Anyway, sorry about trespassing and everything. I’ll be leaving.”

As he said that, he wobbled hard enough that Shigure noticed, despite his weakened vision.

“Are you sure you’re in any condition to move? Why did you come here? Why didn’t you go home? You look terrible…” Shigure said, arms crossed and nails digging into his flesh.

“Thanks,” the Wolf said. “Also none of your business. Leave me alone.”

With a whine and a wheeze, the bulging monster of a wolf toppled again, leaning heavily against the closest tree.

Guilt gnawed at his gut. A strange sensation.

Before he could open his mouth or convince himself that this was fine, lithe, lithe steps echo around them and suddenly another dog joined their little reunion.

She had red fur, Shigure knew, despite not being able to see her properly. She growled lowly at the both of them and the Wolf replied in kind.

“Goddammit, what do you want now?” He mumbled under his breath, irritated and annoyed, despite looking on the edge of collapse.

“What is she saying?” Shigure asked, with his heart on his throat. Never would he had thought he would have to resort to a third party to communicate with his dearest Aka-chan.

“What else, she’s pissed at you for not talking to her and she’s pissed at me for making that happen. Cry me a fucking river, he brought this onto himself.” He finished snarling at the fearless dog.

Aka-chan just turned her snout away, the epitome of elegance. Shigure would have snorted, if the cursed Wolf hadn’t groaned, slowly lowering himself to the ground– in pain.

His former partner looked at the prone figure of the Wolf and dropped all pretenses as she huddled next to him, ears flat. She licked his fur, in a soothing motion before looking up at Shigure.

 _Please_ , he could see her eyes say. _Please help him._

“Thanks to him I can’t speak to you anymore. Is that alright with you?”

Aka-chan bared her teeth at him, annoyed. Shigure sighed.

“I can’t believe you’re making me do this.” Is all he said before he pushed all cynicism aside. This wasn¿t even a question of what he was willing to do for him.

(He liked to pretend he had no heart, but sometimes he slipped.)

He spoke to the cursed man. “You’re too heavy for me, so I’ll need you to stay conscious. We’re taking you to my home so you can recover.”

“I don’t need your _pity_.” Ichigo snarled, managing to look threatening and imposing even in his collapsed form.

Shigure stared at him, resolve firming. “Then consider it my gratitude, for getting me out of there.”

This quietened the man, and Shigure looked away when searching, pleading eyes sought him out. “If you still would rather rot away in the woods, go right ahead but do it further from the house so nobody can see you.”

There was a terribly fragile silence amongst them. Then the Wolf mumbled. “I’ll pay for my stay. Name the price.”

Shigure just walked forward and between Aka-chan and himself they pushed the bulging mountain upright and herded him towards the house. He was momentarily distracted by his red-fur friend dragging something with her mouth, probably the man’s bag.

Shigure’s hands disappeared entirely in the Wolf’s incredibly thick fur, shamelessly grabbing hold of it to direct the cursed man towards their home. Soon enough his hands felt as if he was pressing them against a warming oven. “Fine, I’ll charge you, you stupid man.”

He could almost hear him laugh in return.

 

* * *

Ichigo had, 100% meant to sleep the fever off on the floor in the living room. Tohru had been overjoyed at seeing him, but also scandalized at his state and ridiculous enough to offer her own bed. This had prompted Rat boy to say he offered his own room instead, before Kyou laughed at them both and said they had an unoccupied room next to his.

(He had also meant to stay until his fever faded, but that too, didn’t go quite as planned.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This felt kind of short? Idk why?  
> Anyway! Doesn't the end warm your heart a little? Ichigo you're not unwanted! Please see this!!  
> Also oh no, Shigure... you're going to be found out at this rate...
> 
> Let me know what you think!


	11. Chapter 11

The next morning Ichigo found himself feeling better than he had ever felt in years. He was human again, completely naked and alone. He felt well rested, his fever was gone, his hand only throbbed a little and he felt… inexplicably warm. He felt conflicted when he found a clean yukata on top of the drawer, just a little bigger than what he would normally use.

His phone’s battery was dying, and had blown up with requests during the night. Skimming, he saw nothing important and he decided that he might as well take today off, to figure out what to do with his life.

Faintly he could hear the sound of people, talking and cooking and existing nearby.

It was an odd sound to wake up to.

He couldn’t say he didn’t like it.

 

* * *

By the time he came downstairs, he had already put the clothes on, pulling the fabric tight across his chest, washed his face, made his unruly hair as presentable as possible with just his fingers and made a beeline for the man who had cursed him.

Said man was sitting at the table, alongside Rat Boy, and both of whom looked at him the second he entered the dinning room. Shigure tensed up, doing his best not to show his nervousness but not stopping him in any way. Before the stupid man could open his mouth and piss him off again, Ichigo opened his wallet and began pulling out bills.

“How much for the night?” He asked, business-like and serene. Shigure was just staring at him, then at the bills as if he wasn’t processing things, or as if he couldn’t believe what was happening. Ichigo gave him a moment, as he finished pulling out the amount he usually paid for a hostel. He was kind of hoping the man wouldn’t ask for more, but he didn’t put it past him.

“Ah, Ichigo-san! You’re awake! Did you sleep well!? Ah- eh? That’s a lot of money! Are you going to buy something!”? The bubbly girl that reminded him so much of people long gone came out of the kitchen, holding clean plates awkwardly with both of her hands. Her right was still covered in bandages and placed in such way that her palm wouldn’t come in contact with the plates. Behind her, the boy with the hair the same color as his own, carried a huge container that smelled so good, Ichigo felt his mouth water.

“Good morning, Honda.” He said, voice cracking for some reason. It had been so long. So long since he last had greeted someone good morning over a hot meal, with no malice. “Sorry for imposing.”

“Oh, you’re not imposing at all! You’re going to stay for breakfast, right? Please stay, there’s enough food for everyone!”

Ichigo felt uncomfortable. “Sure, I guess I can afford breakfast. How-”

“I believe Tohru-kun is offering you out of the kindness of her heart. Wouldn’t it be rude to try and put a price on it?” Shigure said, voice casual and light but still the sharp glance he sent him spoke volumes. Don’t offend her. Don’t turn down her kindness.

Ichigo felt _very_ uncomfortable.

“Um,” he said, even as Honda placed a plate in his seat, and the skittish boy –what was his name again? Kyoko? Wait no– set the heavy tray down in the center of the table. The smell of homemade eggs wafted to him, and embarrassingly enough, his stomach grumbled. “Alright, but I’m paying for the room I stayed in.”

Shigure stared at him, eyes inscrutable. Silently, he dragged the money over to himself and began counting. After that he neatly separated it in two halves and handed one back.

Ichigo didn’t take it. “The f- heck you doing?”

“Do you have a place to stay?”

Ichigo snarled at him. “None of your f- damn problem, you fu- dumbass.” He snarled, barely remembering to tone down his vulgar language in front of these kids. He still didn’t take the money, overly aware of all three kids now joining them on the table and staring at them.

Unnerved, he just shoved the money right back at him. “Just take it, don’t make this harder for either of us.”

“I certainly recall saying, that I’m merely repaying my debt. Don’t think too much about it.” Shigure said, with a ridiculously cheerful tone. Ichigo actually had to look back at him to make sure it was him who was speaking. The man didn’t touch the money currently squashed between them, as he began serving himself and complimenting Tohru and the kids for not burning the kitchen down. This finally prompted the others to begin their breakfast in earnest.

Ichigo still refused to budge.

Shigure looked at him out of the corner of his eye, feeling more and more irritated by the second. “Just look at it this way, like this my debt is paid and you can begin looking for another place to live in and actually have money to afford it.”

Ichigo scowled at the jab, but before he could try and shove the money down his throat, Honda spoke up.

“Ichigo-san, is there anything we could help you with?”

His eyebrows lifted so suddenly, he felt a muscle jump in his face. Everybody was now staring at the girl, who looks nervous but resolute.

(Kill ‘em with kindness, what a deadly tactic, just like-)

And apparently his own kryptonite, because for a long minute he didn’t have a reply for her.

“…No, I’m okay. Thanks.”

“Yes, yes. Tohru-kun. You shouldn’t worry about this. It’s a negotiation between men!”

“You mentioned a debt.” Rat boy suddenly spoke, voice quiet and tense. “What debt? What is he talking about?”

“A-ah, that’s-“ Shigure began, the false start in his voice ridiculously loud in the quiet dining room.

“He just feels he has to compensate me for making me run out for him in the middle of the night.” Ichigo said blandly, as he focused on getting some scrambled eggs down his throat. They were warm, and soft and delicious and for a second he wanted to cry. “It’s really good, Honda.”

“A-ah! It wasn’t me! I- they don’t let me cook, until my hand heals! Kyou-kun made them!”

“Ah, thank you scaredy-cat.” Ichigo let a small smile lift his lips at the way the orange-head –was that natural like his own?– bristled just like a cat.

The kid protested the insult, denied being one while Honda tried calming him down. Rat boy could only sigh into his own food in exasperation; and Ichigo took this distraction to look at Shigure out of the corner of his eyes.

The man looked conflicted, relieved and worried all in one package. Noticing he was being watched, he just sighed in defeat before nodding his head.

Was the man grateful?

Ah, well…

Ichigo looked back at the squabbling teens.

He understood the need for secrets. When it involved protecting those he loved.

(Even if they were gone, the teachings remained.)

And gratitude…

He finally gave up and retrieved his half of the money, letting it sit heavy in his pocket.

Was something he was familiar with.

(And he also knew how unreliable that was.)

 

 

* * *

Ichigo watched the kids leave for school, feeling something ache at the familiarity, but he refused to dwell on it.

(After all, if he remembered them, he would remember their utter disgust when-)

And with all three of them gone, Ichigo suddenly found himself alone with Shigure.

“I can’t believe you have kids.” Ichigo said, a bitter smile gracing his lips. The man flinched, as if not expecting to be addressed.

Black eyes scrutinized his face and whatever they found, Shigure just shrugged. “I can’t quite believe it either.”

The Wolf was silent then, not sure what to feel at the lack of malice in his voice. So he decided to just ignore it. Instead he too headed for the door. “I’m going to fetch my stuff before it gets stolen.”

“I had thought Aka-chan brought it in with us?”

“Yeah, my wallet and such, but I have another duffel bag with clothes. Wasn’t that important, so I told her not to bother.”

“Ah, right then.” Shigure said, feeling the tension between them fluctuating like the tide being controlled by a broken moon.

(The tension and maybe, his own guilt.)

 

* * *

Shigure sighed, once alone again.

He somehow felt that he should have told the cursed man that the wild dogs living nearby could fetch it for him.

He told himself it was none of his business.

(He very pointedly did not think about the way Ichigo had tightened the yukata, to hide his scarred chest.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So close, yet so far away :shakes fists at the sky: why must they be such reticent idiots!
> 
> Honda is Honda, Yuki is still Rat boy and Kyo is probably not Kyoko. Ah, Ichigo, your name abilities and memories are truly atrocious.
> 
> What are your thoughts so far? Like where this is going? Can you see things looking up for Ichigo?
> 
> Don't forget to drop a comment!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyoo!  
> It's been a while! Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!

Once alone again, Ichigo fetched all of his stuff, got changed, picked up yet another lost puppy on his way out and set off to work. He dropped the puppy at the nearest shelter and headed to a café to charge his phone and check for jobs.

There were a couple yakuza requests which always paid well and were easy enough all things considered. Even just a couple days ago, he would have jumped at the opportunity but somehow things were different now. As odd as it was, he was hesitating because he didn’t want to risk being followed back to Honda’s home.

Besides, things had been calm as of late.  Ichigo had helped in turf wars, and negotiation plans, and he was pretty sure no war would be breaking out soon. Even if he didn’t intervene, no lives would be lost. Maybe.

There was also a request for an escort service, but Ichigo was feeling rather grouchy and being biting to his client was not exactly professional.

He continued to scroll.

Bodyguard. Bouncer. Bodyguard. Stunt double?

Ichigo clicked on that ad, intrigued. He could earn quite a bit as a stunt double– sometimes even double the initial amount if he agreed to let someone else’ name appear on screen.

The scowl on his face deepened when he realized they either hadn’t seen his headshot, or profile and had only seen his name. They were asking for a female body double.

He reported it to Uehara– his superior– and continued scrolling.

 

 

* * *

In the end, having found no appealing work, he had decided to take it easy and just walked dogs, and painted a house exterior in a nearby neighborhood. His good disposition, and his efficiency got him referred to another easy weeding and gardening job nearby.

He felt a little silly, since these were jobs more fitting for young teens looking for a quick buck, but his life was a mess and he needed the mindless actions to think.

 Because he couldn’t stay in that house.

After all, his presence would endanger them, at some point what with his history with the yakuza and just his plain old temper. And he also did not trust himself not to rip Sohma Shigure’s throat out at one point, which would leave the kids feeling sad. Probably.

And well, he was a loner. He very much preferred living alone than having to tiptoe around three innocent kids all the damn time, and having to guard himself from this manipulative bastard they called a guardian.

Actually, it would be better for his prolonged sanity to leave as soon as possible. Shigure had found the first random stranger to curse, so he would never have to deal with the consequences of his actions, most likely.

And now, having them thrust right into his face like this…

Ichigo wouldn’t put it past him to try and permanently eliminate this unexpected outcome.

(He wouldn’t be the first to try.)

But where could he go?

He still had money, but not enough to rent a place. He still hadn’t figured out what had gotten him so sick just the other day and if the fever came back he would be losing an entire day of work.

It wasn’t a hopeless situation, but Ichigo felt too tired to try and actively hunt for a cheap place to stay in. Besides, why should he bother, if more dogs were going to inevitably find his place and get him kicked out again?

Should he ask the man, before leaving?

Shigure had not been hostile after Ichigo played along with his lies in front of the kids, so maybe he could milk that out as much as possible.  If it helped Ichigo disappear from his life, then it was even more likely Shigure would do anything in his power to help him along.

…And if he wanted him to _stay_ , then Ichigo needed to run in the opposite direction.

 

(He had learned his lesson.)

 

* * *

“Oh, Ichi-chan! It’s been a while!” Makoto the bartender called out to him, somehow not annoyed at seeing him before his bar was open for business.

Ichigo grumbled a greeting back, as always regretting his decision to visit in the first place, yet finding his feet carrying him further inside without his say on it. Almost without thinking, he began pulling the seats of the tables down, helping Makoto set up the place to open in half an hour. Makoto wasn’t hiring, and he couldn’t exactly afford to pay him anymore, but somehow Ichigo did not mind. Makoto didn’t protest either, deciding to hum to himself and keep working around Ichigo without a word.

In no time, the bar was ready for business, and Ichigo found himself nursing a beer by the counter as Makoto flipped the sign on the door to show the red ‘OPEN’ side.

“I haven’t seen you in a while.” Makoto offered, voice softer than Ichigo was comfortable with. Instead of replying, Ichigo grunted softly before downing his beer. The bartender rolled his eyes. “Okay, let’s play your favorite guessing game. Is it a girl? Did you get dumped?”

Ichigo sent him a withering glare that did nothing but make him grin, showing off the golden dental fixtures. Makoto then greeted some regulars that were just trickling in, but before Ichigo could think of leaving for the night, the bartender was back to his side, too-kind eyes trained on him.

“Okay, but all joking aside… Do you need somewhere to stay or something?”

A muscle in Ichigo’s jaw jumped. He opened his mouth, closed it and then just shrugged. He scratched idly at his hand, unable to help the nervous gesture. “Yeah, I got kicked out and didn’t get my deposit back. So I’m trying to save up again.”

The other man grimaced, sympathetically. He didn’t ask, that wasn’t the sort of relationship they had, but his next words were somehow surprising. “Why don’t you stay with me?”

Ichigo blinked up at him, expression slack, completely bewildered. “Excuse me?”

“Oh cut the crap.” The bartender rolled his eyes again, as if _Ichigo_ was the one making outrageous propositions. “You’ve done enough work for me to know you’re a trust-worthy kid. I don’t mind you crashing for a couple days to regain your footing.”

At a loss of words, Ichigo could only gripe. “Stop calling me a kid, we’re the same age.”

Makoto tutted softly, his grin curling with the beginnings of malice. “But I have both a business and a woman, and you’re not exactly a functioning member of society so, I get to call you a kid.”

Tension was building between his shoulder blades. If he’d been holding a can, it would have become nothing but aluminum scraps. His hand certainly pulsed as if he had. “Want me to denounce this bar for serving drinks to kids, then?”

“Oh fuck off, you smartass.” The bartender, and successful bar owner sighed, deciding to split his attention between his skittish customer and drying some cups. “Don’t change the subject, if you need a place, let me know.”

“Didn’t you just move in with your girlfriend?”

“Yes, and it’s been wonderful, thanks for asking.”

Ichigo scowled when the bartender smiled smugly and added nothing else. “Wont she have any complaints?”

Makoto prepared two more drinks before coming back to answer, as if not noticing the building tension in Ichigo. “I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.”

Ichigo stood up, his high stool screeching against the cheap linoleum. He could feel several eyes on him. His voice dropped to a whisper. “Makoto, I can’t accept this. It would do neither of us any good if I stayed over at your place. It’s bad enough that you keep letting me into the bar, despite all the trouble I’ve caused you.”

“Any man worth respecting has his share of baggage.” Makoto said, with a careless shrug. “You’re not the only yakuza-bred kid I’ve welcomed, and you won’t be the last. So either accept my gratitude or don’t complain when I punch you for being so fucking obnoxious.”

“Who would’a thought you, of all people, would have such a soft heart.”

Makoto chuckled at the exaggeration. “I hope at least you’re aware that your big mouth is the reason for at least half of your brawls.”

“And what’s the other half?”

“You’re impossible, Ichigo.”

“I try.” Ichigo whispered, as he paid for his drinks and scurried away before Makoto could do good on his threats.

(He wasn’t a bad man. And maybe that’s the reason why he could absolutely not get mixed up with him.)

 

 

* * *

It was late in the night when he finally gathered the courage to go back to Honda’s home. He was feeling a little tired, feverish even which was just damn perfect, as he made his way through the forest on two feet.

He knocked on the door, and for some reason he seemed to have forgotten that Honda and her friends all lived together in this house. Which was just stupid on his part because he kept calling it Honda’s home.

Her face lit up with something like relief upon spotting him– which set him on edge.

“Honda?” He asked, feeling pain shooting up his arms as he closed his fists. “Is there something wrong?”

The girl blinked repeatedly, confused but happy as she made way to let him in.

“Ah,” she had said. “Welcome back! I was just getting worried because it was late, and you weren’t coming. But now you’re here! Oh, have you had any dinner yet?”

Ichigo wanted nothing more than to turn tail and run. As it was, he gave a step back and stumbled, his fever-hazy brain messing with his balance.

He didn’t fall, it would take so much more to take him down, but he did have to reach out a hand to lean on the closest wall, as the world stopped spinning around him. The contact with the wall was searing, but also immensely sobering.

When his vision refocused he realized Honda was hovering by his side, calling his name over and over again.

“M’fine.” Ichigo mumbled weakly. “Sorry about that.”

“What is the meaning of this?” A familiar and unwelcome new voice joined them. Ichigo looked up, knowing who was glowering down at him despite him not being more than a blurry blob. “What happened to you now? Are you drunk?”

“Oh fuck off, this isn’t your problem.” Ichigo couldn’t help but snarl, forgetting himself briefly. When he noticed Honda flailing by his side, he did his best to behave. “Um, I mean… I just have to sleep the fever off. I’ll be cool.”

“Oh, you’ve got a fever again?” Honda gasped, terribly concerned. “You haven’t been overworking yourself, have you? Ichigo-san, that is not good! I’ll make you a cup of tea, to keep you hydrated and-“

As she said that, she had reached out for his hand, to pull him into the kitchen – but when she closed her hand around his, Ichigo couldn’t help but hiss in pain. He jerked away abruptly enough to make her lose her balance, and in a rather comical fashion, she fell on him and he went _poof_.

As Tohru apologized over and over again to him, the massive Wolf that could barely fit through the door just sighed to himself.

How was this his life?

 

 

* * *

One way or another he had found himself back in the dining room, laying on his side, by the kotetsu and Honda fretting over his injured hand.

So apparently, while Ichigo tried very hard not to pass out, Shigure had gotten closer to investigate why he had flinched so suddenly– had discovered the wound and somehow made it the girl’s problem.

“I can’t believe you let it get infected.” He said, annoyance clear in his voice, the unspoken, ‘you’re such an idiot’ as loud as day from his place near the entrance of the room. Ichigo ignored him entirely.

Explaining why he hadn’t bothered wrapping the injury to the worried Honda was enough to keep him busy after all.

He was saved from this however, as he changed back to his –naked– human body, which served to make her run away to protect his modesty or whatever. Shigure called out that he would finish patching him up, and wisely decided to stay out of it as Ichigo proceeded to finish cleaning his untreated wound.

Despite the exhaustion, Ichigo’s movements were fluid and professional, sheer muscle memory pulling him into motion. He cleaned and then applied the antibiotic ointment that Honda had been so kind to bring, before slapping on a bandage.

“I don’t normally get infections.” Ichigo mumbled, mostly to himself. “It’s like even bacteria know that I’m barely even alive, so why bother.”

Shigure arched an eyebrow at him, but wisely decided not to say anything about it. Instead he asked, “Where did you learn to treat wounds? You’re far too methodical to be just your average skill.”

“I used to work at a clinic,” Ichigo confessed, his fever-addled brain disabling his normal defenses. “Well not _work_ work, just… helping around, whenever my Pops needed it. At least until Mom died and it all went downhill.”

Shigure didn’t ask anything, didn’t say anything else. He just stared at the young man, as he rubbed his eyes and clumsily climbed to his feet.

He was young, Shigure thought suddenly– traitorously. He was young and reckless, and lonely.

And now he was cursed as well, thanks to him.

“Gonna sleep.” Ichigo slurred, as he stumbled his way across the room.

“Good night,” Shigure said out of habit. The cursed man stopped on the threshold of the door.

 

He looked back at Shigure, and for a second there, he could have sworn he could see hope in his empty eyes.

 

It was probably the fever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How do you like how things are coming along?  
> btw Makoto is an OC lmao don't mind him.  
> Things are already changing. Because at the end of the day, no matter what he says or thinks, Ichigo still came back.
> 
> At the end of the day, he may have a place to come back to, at long last.

**Author's Note:**

> So? What did you think?  
> Don't forget to drop a comment!


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